Question

If you visit a cave, you may notice icicle-shaped rocks called stalactites hanging from the cave's ceiling. Stalactites form when water that contains minerals drips from the cave's ceiling. The dripping water leaves behind deposits of limestone, which is made mostly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Calcium carbonate forms, along with carbon dioxide gas (CO2), when calcium bicarbonate (CaH2C2O6) in the water breaks down. The limestone deposits build up over thousands of years, eventually forming stalactites.

In the chemical reaction described in the passage, which of the following are reactants?

Answer 1

In stalactite formation, the reactants in the chemical reaction are calcium bicarbonate and carbon dioxide gas, which break down to form calcium carbonate.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the chemical reaction that describes the formation of stalactites inside a cave, the reactants are calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. These reactants break down in water, which drips from the ceiling of a cave to form stalactites through a process where calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is deposited. Over time, the precipitation of calcium carbonate gives rise to these remarkable cave formations so cherished by geologists and spelunkers alike.