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October 19, 2011. Objective: Learn how caves form and their features. Agenda: Ground water notes continued Water budget activity Amazing Caves. GROUND WATER - Aquifer. WATER INFILTRATES STOPS AT IMPERMEABLE LAYER
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Objective: • Learn how caves form and their features • Agenda: • Ground water notes continued • Water budget activity • Amazing Caves
GROUND WATER - Aquifer • WATER INFILTRATES • STOPS AT IMPERMEABLE LAYER • RISES FROM BOTTOM UP – (LIKE FILLING A BATH TUB) THIS IS CALLED GROUNDWATER or SATURATED ZONE or AQUIFER • TOP OF SATURATED ZONE IS THE WATER TABLE
WATER TABLE RISES WITH RAINFALL FALLS WITH DROUGHT
How caves form • Carbon dioxide from the air combines with precipitation to produce carbonic acid. • The acidic groundwater easily erodes the limestone to produce caves, caverns, sinkholes, and disappearing streams. • This type of topography is referred to as karst topography.
Cave features • When the roof of a cavern collapses a sinkhole is produced. • The limestone and dolomite features that form on the ceiling of caverns as the rock precipitates out of the groundwater are called stalactites (c for ceiling). • The features that form on the ground of the cavern are called stalagmites (g for ground). • Sometimes a stalactite will join with a stalagmite to form a column.