# A couple of questions about grains of sand



## z103 (1 Apr 2008)

I was walking along the beach earlier today and a couple of things occurred to me that may have simple explanations.

1. Why do most grains of sand look to be about the same size? - why don't they grind down finer, to dust?

2. The large pebbles had smooth edges, as you would expect. Why to grains of sand have sharp edges? - Why don't they look like miniature pebbles instead of 'cubes'?


Any help would be appreciated.


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## MOB (2 Apr 2008)

1.  They are not of uniform size;  ask any quarryman.   They might appear uniform along a sea shore because they have been sifted and graded by the elements.  Dig down a foot or two and you will probably see the smaller, dustier particles.

2.  Can't help here; sorry.


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## ClubMan (2 Apr 2008)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand


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## davidoco (7 Apr 2008)

Think about all the sand particles on all the beaches of this planet. Thats how many suns (stars) there are in the universe.


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## Caveat (7 Apr 2008)

Whilst on the subject, believe it or not I'm actually the owner of the world's largest collection of seashells.

Maybe you've seen it - I keep it on all the beaches of the world.


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## elefantfresh (7 Apr 2008)

No way Caveat! Thats not fair.


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## Sue Ellen (7 Apr 2008)

Would this thread have anything to do with the date it was started


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## Purple (7 Apr 2008)

sueellen said:


> Would this thread have anything to do with the date it was started


No, sand is real.


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## ninsaga (7 Apr 2008)

My guess is that leghorn is writing his thesis on human behaviour in online communities ie. ask about some simple topic & see where the discussion leads ie how long before it goes off topic, how long before insults begin, people banned etc etc (ooops let the cat outta da bag there leghorn)

ninsaga


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## Elphaba (7 Apr 2008)

To see a World in a Grain of Sand  
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,  
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand  
And Eternity in an hour.


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## Purple (8 Apr 2008)

Elphaba said:


> To see a World in a Grain of Sand
> And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
> Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
> And Eternity in an hour.



Is that you God?


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## Berlin (8 Apr 2008)

davidoco said:


> Think about all the sand particles on all the beaches of this planet. Thats how many suns (stars) there are in the universe.



That's one hell of a coincidence.


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## davidoco (8 Apr 2008)

Berlin said:


> That's one hell of a coincidence.


 
We're still counting and double checking (especially the sand count) but it's not far off the mark.  There are a couple of beaches in southern Iraq, which we are finding it difficult to get volunteers to count.


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## ney001 (8 Apr 2008)

davidoco said:


> We're still counting and double checking (especially the sand count) but it's not far off the mark.  There are a couple of beaches in southern Iraq, which we are finding it difficult to get volunteers to count.



Who's we? - not the freemasons is it??


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## Seagull (8 Apr 2008)

Once sand grinds down further, it's defined as clay, and then silt. I can't remember the rest of the scale.


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## Purple (8 Apr 2008)

Berlin said:


> That's one hell of a coincidence.



LOL, best quote of the week!


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## Crugers (13 Apr 2008)

Purple said:


> LOL, best quote of the week!


 

It takes millions of billions of trillions of quadrillions of grains of sand to make a beach,
It only takes one to ruin a sandwich!


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## Jack The Lad (20 Apr 2008)

Crugers said:


> It takes millions of billions of trillions of quadrillions of grains of sand to make a beach,
> It only takes one to ruin a sandwich!


 
...which begs the question - Why name that most versatile of cullinary delights after the one thing that destroys it. 

There's a Greek tragedy in there somewhere.


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## Purple (20 Apr 2008)

Crugers said:


> It takes millions of billions of trillions of quadrillions of grains of sand to make a beach,
> It only takes one to ruin a sandwich!



Sand in a pack of Tayto is worse...


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