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Dripping Water
Stalagtite in Carlsbad Cavern
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Water drips, which makes speleothems grow longer vertically (either up or down).

There are three examples of speleothems formed by dripping water listed below: Soda Straws, Stalactites, and Stalagmites.

Soda Straws:
This is a picture of a soda straw with a drip of water. You can actually see how the water is working to make the soda straw bigger.
Picture of a soda straw with a drip of water.
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This picture shows a stalagtite with soda straw hanging at the end in Hidden Cave. Dripping water made BOTH of those beautiful decorations!
Stalagtite with Soda Straw in Hidden Cave.
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Stalactites:

This picture is of a stalagtite in Carlsbad Cavern, it shows one of the many variations of shapes that stalactites can take.
Stalagtite in Carlsbad Cavern
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This picture of a stalactite in Hidden Cave shows the ripples of where the water aided in the formation of the speleothem.
Stalactite in Hidden Cave.
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This is a picture of stalactites in Lower Cave, Carlsbad Cavern. The coloration (they kind of look like snow) shows how speleothems can be made of different kinds of minerals.
Stalactites in Lower Cave, Carlsbad Cavern.

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This is a picture of stalactites in Carlsbad Cavern. These stalactites look a lot more jagged and crazy than the others, just another variation of a stalactite!
Stalactites in Carlsbad Cavern
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Stalagmites:
This picture of a stalagmite in the Hall of the White Giant in Carlsbad Cavern shows how amazing the colors of a stalagmite can be.
Stalagmite in the Hall of the White Giant--Carlsbad Cavern
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This is another picture of a stalagmite in the Hall of the White Giant in Carlsbad Cavern. Notice how the shape and size of the two stalagmites are very different.
Hall of the White Giant in Carlsbad Cavern.
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This is a picture of a stalagmite surrounded by flowstone (another formation helped by water) in Lower Cave in Carlsbad Cavern. This stalagmite is MUCH different than the other stalagmites from the Hall of the White Giant in the same cave...I wonder why?
Stalagmite surrounded by flowstone in Lower Cave, Carlsbad Cavern.
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Click on the Link(s) Below to Learn (About)...

How Flowing Water Makes Cave Decorations
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How Seeping Water Makes Cave Decorations
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How Pooling Water Makes Cave Decorations

OR

Click on the Link(s) Below to Learn (About)...

Cave Decorations
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What Caves Are
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Where Caves Are
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How Caves Form
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How Caves Are Decorated