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Chemically precipitated limestone that forms in caves or around hot springs is termed:

A) Marble
B) Chalk
C) Travertine
D) Gypsum

User Shankar BS
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Final answer:

Travertine is the chemically precipitated limestone that forms in caves or around hot springs, and it occurs when CaCO₃ precipitates from a solution of CaCO₃ in CO₂-rich water.

Step-by-step explanation:

The chemically precipitated limestone that forms in caves or around hot springs is termed travertine.

This type of limestone deposit forms when a saturated solution of CaCO₃ in CO₂-rich water rises toward Earth's surface or is otherwise heated, leading to the release of CO₂ gas as the water warms. This change causes CaCO₃ to precipitate from the solution.

Travertine is different from marble, which is a metamorphic rock formed from limestone under conditions of high heat and pressure, and gypsum, which is a mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. It is also not to be confused with chalk, which is a type of limestone composed primarily of the calcite skeletons of microscopic marine organisms.

User Horaciux
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