Post by Arenophile on Jun 15, 2005 17:23:17 GMT -5
Sand has a specific size:
Sand is classified as any particles between 0.125 and 2.0 millimeters. The size of sediment particles can be measured by visual estimation or by use by a set of sieves.
Sand is usually measured by sieving. A sand sample of known weight is passed through a set of sieves of known mesh sizes. Boulder, cobbles, and gravel are best measured manually with a tape measure or ruler. Silt and clay can be differentiated by whether they are crunchy or plastic between ones teeth but keep in mind when tasting any sand that it may be toxic!
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Some sands will actually "sing" or make noise:
Often referred to as singing or booming sand, this rare sand produces a tone when walked on or blown around by the wind. Some sands will even create sparks of light at night when walked or driven across. This sand creates sound waves by the friction caused between the grains of this sand's unique crystalline structure. Singing sand is becoming harder and harder to find as modern pollution tends to coat the sand particles and destroy its ability to produce sound. At the time of writing this, singing sand can still be found on every continent of the world.
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Carbonate sands often completely dissolve in vinegar:
If you are lucky enough to be near beach sand completely made up of tiny seashells, you can try dissolving the sand in a glass of vinegar. This shows the presence of carbonates.
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Some sand is magnetic:
If you happen to have a sample of sand that tends to have black particles in it, try running a magnet across it. These minerals may be iron or magnetite. Magnetite is also very common in sands that contain gold.
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Glass is made from common ordinary sand:
Most sand contains a high amount of silica. This is the clear, colorless minerals you often see in sand. If the sand contains a lot of silica, it can be melted down into glass with high heat. Did you know glass beads were being created and used well before the Roman Empire stood?
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A sand collector is called an Arenophile:
Although I have had many sand collectors tell me that the proper name for a person who collects sand is an Arenophile, I have yet to find any reference to this name in any dictionaries.
www.jaster.20m.com/faq.html
Sand is classified as any particles between 0.125 and 2.0 millimeters. The size of sediment particles can be measured by visual estimation or by use by a set of sieves.
Sand is usually measured by sieving. A sand sample of known weight is passed through a set of sieves of known mesh sizes. Boulder, cobbles, and gravel are best measured manually with a tape measure or ruler. Silt and clay can be differentiated by whether they are crunchy or plastic between ones teeth but keep in mind when tasting any sand that it may be toxic!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some sands will actually "sing" or make noise:
Often referred to as singing or booming sand, this rare sand produces a tone when walked on or blown around by the wind. Some sands will even create sparks of light at night when walked or driven across. This sand creates sound waves by the friction caused between the grains of this sand's unique crystalline structure. Singing sand is becoming harder and harder to find as modern pollution tends to coat the sand particles and destroy its ability to produce sound. At the time of writing this, singing sand can still be found on every continent of the world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carbonate sands often completely dissolve in vinegar:
If you are lucky enough to be near beach sand completely made up of tiny seashells, you can try dissolving the sand in a glass of vinegar. This shows the presence of carbonates.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some sand is magnetic:
If you happen to have a sample of sand that tends to have black particles in it, try running a magnet across it. These minerals may be iron or magnetite. Magnetite is also very common in sands that contain gold.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glass is made from common ordinary sand:
Most sand contains a high amount of silica. This is the clear, colorless minerals you often see in sand. If the sand contains a lot of silica, it can be melted down into glass with high heat. Did you know glass beads were being created and used well before the Roman Empire stood?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A sand collector is called an Arenophile:
Although I have had many sand collectors tell me that the proper name for a person who collects sand is an Arenophile, I have yet to find any reference to this name in any dictionaries.
www.jaster.20m.com/faq.html