Silicon Dioxide
Sand (SiO2)
Three uses of sand:
- Major ingredient in mortar, plaster, concrete, and asphalt
- Used as a filter to purify water and as an abrasive
- Molds used in foundries for casting metals made of sand with a clay binder
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Because of its chemical inertness, most common mineral resistant to weathering
- Made of tiny, loose grains of rocks and minerals
- Surface can vary between being smooth to frosted
Fun facts you probably don't know about sand:
- The University of Hawaii did a study and said there was approximately seven quin-trillion five quad-trillion grains of sand on all the earth (7,500,000,000,000,000,000)
- Astronomers have found that for every grain of sand there are around 100 stars in the galaxy
- Sand can sing but only when the diameter is 0.1-0.5 mm in diameter and round, contains silica, and it must be a certain humidity