Caves are erosional features, although depositional features form within them. Flowing and dripping water leave behind calcium carbonate, which is the precipitate of limestone dissolution. This precipitate in turn creates a form of limestone called travertine that is often white or cream-colored. Where and how these precipitates are deposited depends on how the water is dripping or flowing at a given location within the cave. Geologists have identified common formations within caverns, which are:
