Over time, stalactites get bigger and grow. Does this mean that stalactites are alive? Explain.
Answer (3)
No. It just means that there's stuff in the water that runs down them, and the stuff builds up on the stalactite. It's a lot like the process that makes icicles grow, even though icicles are not alive either.
Stalactites grow due to a physical and chemical process, not **biological **one. They are essentially calcium carbonate formations that increase in size due to mineral deposits from dripping water. So, despite their growth, they do not exhibit characteristics of living organisms and are not considered alive. ;
Stalactites are not alive; they grow through a process of mineral deposition from dripping water rather than through biological processes. Their growth is purely physical, similar to icicles, and does not involve characteristics of living organisms. Stalactites accumulate minerals externally and do not undergo any life processes.
;
