HOW KARTCHNER CAVERNS FORMED
				STAGE 1: Underground water fills every crack in the rocks below the water table. Kartchner Caverns begins when cracks in the rock enlarge because of slowly moving acidic ground water.
				STAGE 2: The first large cave tunnels form when large amounts of limestone are dissolved by carbonic acid. Most carbonic acid is simply carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolved in water. It is the same substance that gives carbonated drinks their "fizz."
				STAGE 3: As the water table drops, upper level passages become filled with air and lower level passages begin to form. Limestone is now dissolving rapidly because of large amounts of CO2 in the cave water and air. The cave has no entrance yet, and no cave decorations.
STAGE 4: A small passage in Kartchner Caverns collapses, making an opening to outside air. It is at this point that cave decorations begin to form. Opening the cave is similar to opening a bottle of soda pop; the CO2 bubbles out. When this happens, the water inside the cave is not as acidic and stops dissolving rock. In fact, minerals already dissolved in the water begin to be deposited. These eventually become stalactites and other cave decorations.