One of the most amazing materials on the planet is sand. The properties of sand, despite its apparent simplicity, are quite interesting and almost no other substance in the world can show anything similar to it.
The uniformity of the rash
Nothing pours out as evenly as sand. The properties of sand allow this material to always pour in from the same hole with an absolutely constant speed. That is why it was taken as the main element for the watch. There were other variations working on water and other materials, but only the hourglass always invariably correctly displayed the exact time. As an example, we can imagine a funnel in which, say, a kilogram of sand was poured. You can track the time until he gets enough sleep and now try to pour not one kilogram there, but a ton. The speed of movement does not increase, despite a significant increase in pressure. Of course, this requires that the sand be homogeneous and at least relatively the same, but in most cases it is not too different.
Permeability to water
The ability to pass water is another useful mechanical property of sand. The sand, which is typical, consists of small particles, between which there is enough free space so that water can leak out. The larger the size of the sand "pieces", the higher the fluid flow rate. An interesting fact in this case is that at the same time as the water is passed, the sand manages to retain all other impurities and thereby performs the work of the filter. In fact, all liquid purification products work according to this scheme. At the same time, the more sand is left without movement, the more it cakes and gradually loses this property.
Sand does not compress
Unable to compress sand. The properties of sand are such that it always retains the same shape. Of course, as already mentioned, it cakes and partially loses in volume, but this is a natural process that ends with time, and after that it will be impossible to compress the sand. Separately, one can say about another mechanical property that logically emerges from this. Sand distributes all received pressure evenly in all directions. For example, if you take sand and pour it into any jar, then with subsequent pressure it will transfer it not only to the bottom, but also to the walls. This mechanical property of sand is often used by builders. This quality makes it universal.
Chemical properties of sand
These include the stability of this material to most types of external aggressive effects.
- Acid resistance. Sand is quite inert to the effects of acids, alkalis and other similar substances. That is why it is used to create special types of concrete that can withstand such a destructive effect. In turn, this building material is used in industrial production and in any other cases when the building requires maximum resistance to anything.
- Fire resistance. Up to a temperature of +550 degrees Celsius, it does not change in any way. Glassblowers can tell about what properties of sand are shown above this indicator, since this material is used to create any glass.
- Frost resistance. The substance performs very well at low temperatures. Its properties do not change. An example of use in cold weather is sanding pavements and roads. This material, with this use case, provides better adhesion of pedestrian shoes or car wheels to the surface, helping to avoid injuries and accidents.
Depending on the type of sand, on its origin, it may have other amazing chemical properties. For example, there is the so-called singing sand, which begins to make strange noises if disturbed. This is literally a mystical feature that modern science cannot yet figure out, because the same sand in the laboratory does not sound and its composition is no different from other analogues.
Healing properties
From the point of view of medicine, the main property of sand is uniform heating and sharp edges. Such features of this material were known before our era, however, only in 1889 the doctor N.V. Pariysky collected the scientific base and evidence that allowed the introduction of sand treatment as auxiliary procedures.
The point is that after heating, the sand will give off heat with the same intensity for a long time, which allows you to evenly warm the sore spot (especially relevant for the fight against joint diseases). At the same time, sand itself has a relatively ribbed surface, which additionally provides a light micro massage, which is almost impossible to reproduce using other methods.
Total
Sand is actively used in most areas of human activity. It heals, saves, is an integral part of most building materials and at the same time it is very cheap. There is a lot of sand on the planet and its quantity is constantly growing, because it is the result of the destruction of mountain ranges, and this process is constant, and it is impossible to stop it. A few years ago there were ideas to create even engines based on this substance, and the results were amazing. The efficiency was almost 100% and the only problem was the quick wear of parts, which modern science can not yet cope with.