The chemistry of stalactite growth on the bottom of concrete ceilings
is different from the chemistry of stalactites in limestone caves. But
yes, they do look similar, although under concrete I've never heard of
more than just soda-straw size things or thin films. I suspect the
process there tends to clog up openings and shut down infiltration,
whereas water flowing downward into caves tends to enlarge openings
that aren't exposed to open air.
That quantitative estimate, which depends totally on the assumptions,
of course, reminds me of my illustration of how small molecules are:
If a 1 kilogram stalactite was deposited by one drop per second for a
million years, each drop deposited about 200 billion molecules of
calcium carbonate. So much for those show-cave guides who say that
each drop deposits "a few" molecules. (You might be able to do that
rough calculation in your head, if you remember high-school chemistry
and happen to know that there are about 30 million seconds in a year.)
-- Mixon
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