Stalactite
A stalactite (Greek stalaktos, "dripping") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling or wall of a limestone cave. It is formed from the deposit of calcium carbonate and the dripping of mineralized solutions. The corresponding formation on the floor underneath a stalactite is known as a stalagmite. Should both these formations grow together, meeting in the middle, the resultant formation is known as a column or pillar.
There are various ways (see mnemonic) to remember which formation hangs from the ceiling (stalactite) and which grows upward from the floor (stalagmite):
- StalaCtite has a "c" for "ceiling".
- StalaGmite has a "g" for "ground".
- Stalactites hang "tite" to the ceiling above
- Stalagmites you "mite" trip over if you don't watch where you're stepping
The largest stalactite known hangs in the main chamber of Pol-An-Ionain (County Clare, Ireland). It is 6.7m long.
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