How Stalactites and Stalagmites Form in Caves - Visual Explanation #270527 (License: Personal Use)

The image depicts three simplified cross-sections of cave formations: elongated stalactites hanging from the ceiling and upward-growing stalagmites on the floor. Cyan droplets illustrate water seeping through limestone, dissolving calcium carbonate, and re-depositing it as calcite upon evaporation-slowly forming these iconic speleothems over millennia.

Used in educational web pages about geology, earth science, or cave systems; supports user intent to understand karst processes visually and quickly, especially for K-12 or introductory college content.