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How does a stalactite differ from a stalagmite?

A stalactite is a conical or cylindrical formation that hangs like an icicle from the roof of a cave. Stalactites are most often made of calcium carbonate, which is a soft, chalklike, rocky material. These formations are created over a span of centuries by the seepage of mineral-rich water through the limestone rock above the cave. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind deposits of calcium carbonate.

A stalagmite is a stone formation, also made of calcium carbonate, which develops upward from the cave floor. It resembles an upside-down icicle. Stalagmites are formed by the seepage of mineral-rich water from the limestone walls and roof of the cave.

A stalagmite sometimes joins a stalactite to form a column, running from the floor to the roof of the cave.

Sources: Bates, Robert, and Julia A. Jackson. Glossary of Geology, 3rd ed., p....

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