I want to know everything I can about the so called death trap quicksand.
2006-12-28 08:00:08 · 10 answers · asked by Darth Nihilus 1 in Environment
Quicksand is a hydrocolloid gel consisting of fine granular matter (such as sand or silt), clay, and salt water. The origin of the name refers to "quick" in the older meaning of "alive" rather than "fast", as in the familiar phrase "the quick and the dead."
When undisturbed it often appears to be solid, but a minor (less than 1%) change in the stress on the quicksand will cause a sudden decrease in its viscosity. After the initial perturbation—such as a person attempting to walk on it—the water and sand in the quicksand separate and dense regions of sand sediment form; it is because of the formation of these high volume fraction regions that the viscosity of the quicksand seems to suddenly increase. In order to move within the quicksand, a person or object must apply sufficient pressure on the compacted sand to re-introduce enough water to liquefy it. The forces required to do this are quite large: to remove a foot from quicksand at a speed of one centimeter per second would require the same amount of force as "that needed to lift a medium-sized car."
2006-12-28 12:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everything you ever wanted to know and then some about quicksand can be found at www.wikipedia.com and searching for... you guess it! Quicksand.
Hooray for searching for answers on the internet before wasting 5 points on a question!
2006-12-28 08:03:16 · answer #2 · answered by Gravity 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Quicksand is really hard to understand! Its probably alot of sand but on top of a Big and Deep hole that goes into Earth.
2006-12-28 08:04:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is actually sand in which water is moving backward up through the sand causing the sand to separate rather than pack together and it allows things to sink into it. The speed that you sink is dependent upon how fast the water is running up through it.
If you are interested "Myth Busters" did a take on it, which was a real laugh.They could not produce it so that it would be a danger. If they ran the water up too quickly you could swim in it like water, if slowly you wouldn't sink. Their conclusion, "nothing to be afraid of" It was a myth.
2006-12-28 09:28:37 · answer #4 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's soft, damp, sticky sand. If you get stuck in some, DO NOT MOVE!!! Unlike the movies, it won't suck you down if you just stay still. People die in quicksand because they try to get out.
2006-12-28 08:05:41 · answer #5 · answered by campadrenalin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The quicksand works simply by fact there's a catch of water below it. simply by fact the water passes by utilising the air will enhance to the acceptable of the sand. this motives the gadgets on suitable to slowly sink under the Sand. that's why its stated as speedy sand
2016-10-28 13:50:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the time it has a spring in the bottom which agitates the sand . Not quite the death trap if u have guts enough to lay down in it. It bouncy is about the same as water so u can float as in water.
2006-12-28 08:36:05 · answer #7 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicksand
2006-12-28 08:02:58 · answer #8 · answered by relaxin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sand in wich you can sink in pretty quickly.
2006-12-28 08:10:44 · answer #9 · answered by *Bianka* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its sand that is so soft that you sink into it when you stand on it
2006-12-28 08:02:47 · answer #10 · answered by the girl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋