Stalactite of the abundance of limestone caves. The corresponding formation on the floor of the cave is known as a stalagmite. The most common stalactites are speleothems, which occur in limestone caves. They form through deposition of calcium carbonate and other minerals, which is precipitated from mineralized water solutions. Limestone is the chief form of calcium carbonate rock which is dissolved by water that contains carbon dioxide, forming a calcium bicarbonate solution in underground caverns. The chemical formula for this reaction is: This solution travels through the rock until it reaches an edge and if this is on the roof of
Calcium carbonate into air. However, in a charcoal fired kiln, the concentration of CO will be much higher than it is in air. Indeed, if all the oxygen in the kiln is consumed in the fire, then the partial pressure of CO in the kiln can be as high as 20 kPa. The table shows that this partial pressure is not achieved until the temperature is nearly 800 °C. For the outgassing of CO from calcium carbonate to happen at an economically useful rate, the equilibrium pressure must significantly exceed the ambient pressure of CO. And for it to happen rapidly, the