The pieces of sand so very small?
From a distance, sand may look boring and beige.
But have you ever examined it really closely?
If you take a handful of sand and really look at it, you will find it is is made up
of many different kinds of particles, in all kinds of colors and shapes!
But what makes sand?
Beach sand is the result of waves crashing on shore, taking rocks and
the skeletal remains of tiny bio-organisms with it, and dragging these particles against each other
over and over and over and over and over… you get it.
It’s a repetitive process, and a kind of erosion, that has been happening since the beginning of time,
and with each wave those little grains get broken down more.
A beach with more active waves crashing on it will have tinier particles,
resulting in very soft sand, almost like sugar.
Depending on what kinds of rocks and minerals are found in the area,
it can also vary in color, most commonly from beige to almost white.
There are even black and pink sand beaches!
The sand in the vast deserts of the world was most likely created by the wind howling across those huge plains, dragging the particles against each other just like waves do.
See for yourself: Be a Sand Detective!
Next time you are on a beach (or even your local playground sandbox),
take a small sample – about one tablespoon – of the sand in a little container or Ziploc bag.
Pour it out onto a white piece of paper when you get home, so that you can see it clearly.
Using a tweezer, chopstick, or anything else with a very fine point,
sort the sand particles by color or shape.
If you have a magnifying glass, that should help you to identify the particles.
How many different kinds of grains did you find?
How do you think it was formed?
