Here's how it happens:
* Carbonic Acid: Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, forming weak carbonic acid.
* Dissolving Limestone: This acidic water seeps into the ground and reacts with limestone (calcium carbonate), dissolving it.
* Cave Formation: Over time, the dissolved limestone creates underground cavities and passages, eventually forming caves.
Other features commonly associated with this process include:
* Stalactites: Icicle-shaped formations hanging from the cave ceiling, formed by dripping water depositing calcium carbonate.
* Stalagmites: Formations rising from the cave floor, created by water dripping from the ceiling and depositing calcium carbonate.
* Karst Topography: A distinctive landscape characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems, formed by the dissolution of limestone.
