Limestone

Question 1

How is limestone formed?

Answer 1

1. Sediment of sea creatures’ skeletons
2. rivers carried sand and grit to the sea (these became sandstone and gritstone.
3. after millions of years, the sediment layer grew as high as a skyscraper
4. It was so heavy that it got cemented together and made limestone
5. the tectonic plates pushed upwards and the seabed drained away.

Question 2

Joints

Answer 2

Vertical cracks in the rock

Question 3

Bedding planes

Answer 3

Horizontal cracks in the rock

Question 4

What happened to the joints and bedding planes over time?

Answer 4

They get larger as the weak carbonic acid dissolves the calcium carbonate. Eventually they form a cave/cavern.

Question 5

What happens if there are lots of joints and bedding planes in one area?

Answer 5

They will all form a cave as they will connect

Question 6

How are potholes formed?

Answer 6

When joints are widened and then eventually, make potholes, which lead to caves.

Question 7

How are stalactites formed?

Answer 7

When the carbonic acid seeps through the joints and the rainwater evaporates once it has reached the top of the cavern.

Question 8

How are stalagmites formed?

Answer 8

When the carbonic acid from the stalactites drop onto the floor of the cavern before the rainwater evaporates.

Question 9

How is a limestone column/pillar formed?

Answer 9

When the stalactites and stalagmites touch each other and connect.

Question 10

How much do the stalactites and stalagmites grow?

Answer 10

about 10cm every 1000 years

Question 11

clints

Answer 11

The blocks of the limestone pavement

Question 12

grykes

Answer 12

the gaps between the clints

Question 13

How are limestone pavements formed?

Answer 13

More than 10000 years ago in ice age, a glacier fell and scraped all the soil off. Then the weak carbonic acid attacks the limestone underneath. This causes grykes, joints, bedding planes and clints which all lead to caves.

Question 14

What is a positive thing about having too many Tourists in a limestone pavement?

Answer 14

Tourists can increase local economy as they need to buy places to stay and food.

Question 15

What is a negative thing about having too many Tourists in a limestone pavement?

Answer 15

They can take over most of the locals as they would need places to live so it might destroy houses meant for the local. Also can lead to environmental degradation.