iii. Landforms Made By Groundwater
The water under the ground flows horizontally through the bedding planes, joints or through the materials themselves. It is this downward and horizontal movement of water that causes the rocks to erode.
Any limestone or dolomite region showing typical landforms produced by the action of groundwater through the process of solution and deposition is called Karst topography.
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Erosional landforms |
Depositional Landforms |
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1. Sinkhole – an opening more or less circular at the top and funnel-shaped towards the bottom. 2. Doline – Some sinkholes collapse due to the presence of some caves or hollows beneath them and become bigger sinkholes. 3. Uvalas – When several sinkholes join together to form a valley of sinks, they are called valley sinks or Uvalas. 4. Lapies – the irregular grooves and ridges formed when most of the surfaces of limestone are eaten by the solution process. 5. Caves |
1. Stalactites – It is a deposit of calcium carbonate (such as calcite) resembling an icicle hanging from the roof or sides of a cave. 2. It rises up from the floor of the caves. The Stalagmites and stalactites eventually fuse to give rise to columns and pillars of different diameters. |