Experiments With Sand

Spheres

• Put four spheres or balls of different sizes and materials into a large beaker and fill it with sand. Tap the bottom of the beaker against the table frequently. Note the new placement of each sphere and record your findings. Also try adjust the amount of sand in the beaker and see if the results differ.

Separating Sand and Salt

• This is a straightforward experiment to demonstrate how salt and sand separate with the application of heat. Stir the salt and sand solution in a beaker, adding water as you do so (about one-fifth full). Pour and filter the beaker into a flask. Pour into an evaporating basin and heat over a Bunsen burner, doing so until the solution starts to "spit." Make sure to use eye protection. Turn off the Bunsen burner and allow the newly separated solution to dry.

Drainage and Absorption

• Determine which type of soil drains faster: clay, sand or humus. Fill three test tubes, one with each kind of soil, making sure all test tubes have equal amounts of each substance. Use a water-filled dropper and empty its contents into each test tube while keeping time to determine how long it takes for the water to reach the bottom. Do this with all three beakers and record your findings.

Frozen Water and Sand

• Conduct water freezing experiments using several different materials, including sand, loam and silt loam. Mix water with each of the three substances in a beaker and freeze completely. Note how water flow between each material behaves from the frozen state into the unfrozen state. Note, also, the amount of water flowing from unfrozen areas, and how it differs between each substance.