Karst Landscapes - Underground Features (Leaving Cert Geography): Flashcards
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Practise the cards
14 cards from this deck
Zone of saturation
Zone of saturation
Area below water table where all spaces filled with groundwater
Primary zone for cave formation
Primary zone for cave formation
Zone of saturation
Carbonation in cave formation
Carbonation in cave formation
Rainwater + CO2 forms carbonic acid, dissolves limestone
Hydraulic action
Hydraulic action
Flowing water pressure breaks limestone, carves passages
Abrasion in caves
Abrasion in caves
Broken limestone pieces scrape walls, widen passages
Dripstone features
Dripstone features
Rock formations from calcium carbonate via dripping water
Dissolution process
Dissolution process
Calcium carbonate deposited when water evaporates in caves
Calcite
Calcite
Hard mineral of calcium carbonate from evaporating water
Stalactites
Stalactites
Icicle-shaped formations hanging down from cave roofs
Stalagmites
Stalagmites
Shapeless mounds growing upward from cave floors
Why stalagmites have thicker bases
Why stalagmites have thicker bases
Water splashes & spreads over wider area on floor
Pillars in caves
Pillars in caves
Stalactites & stalagmites joined from floor to ceiling
Curtains (dripstone)
Curtains (dripstone)
Ridge-like formations along roof cracks where water flows
Flowstones
Flowstones
Sheet-like formations on walls/floors from flowing water