How are most solution caves formed?

Solution caves are primarily formed through a geological process known as chemical weathering, specifically when acidic water interacts with soluble rock, such as limestone. Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and soil, forming a weak carbonic acid. When this acidic water seeps into the ground, it moves through cracks and fissures in the rock, gradually dissolving the calcium carbonate minerals in the limestone.

As the water continues to flow, it enlarges these openings, leading to the formation of cavities and eventually larger cave systems. This process can take thousands to millions of years, resulting in the intricate underground networks that characterize solution caves.

Other processes such as those related to volcanic activity, river erosion, or glacial activity can form different types of geological features, but they do not contribute to the formation of solution caves in the same way. Volcanic activity can create caves through lava tubes, while erosion from rivers might carve out canyons or valleys but does not involve the chemical dissolution of rock like solution caves do. Similarly, glacial activity can shape the landscape through physical grinding and the movement of ice, but it does not lead to the creation of caves through chemical processes.