Stalagmite or Stalagtite?
When I was in geography class my teacher taught me how to remember which one forms from the ceiling and from the floor.
Stalagmites and stalactites form from travertine; water that has a high calcium carbonate content and other minerals in it.
Stalactites form from the ceiling and hang down. To remember this, I think about the word stalactite and say to myself:
“stalactites hold on tight!”
This means they are holding onto the ceiling very hard so they don’t drop!
Stalagmites form on the ground up. To remember this stalagmites makes me say to myself:
“stalagmites might gain height!”
“When the MITES go up the TITES(Pronounced tights) come down”
One easy way of remembering which is which is by noting that the word stalaGmites has the letter G in it and stands for ground while the word stalaCtites has the letter C in it and stands for ceiling. Thus, stalaGmites are formed from the GROUND while stalaCtites are formed from the CEILING. Hope this is helpful.
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