Where Does Sand Come From?
There are many different kinds of sand all over the world. Sand can be found on beaches, mountains, beside lakes and rivers, and in many other places. Here's a fun science idea, check to see if you have sand in your backyard! You just might!
So where does all the sand come from? Sand comes from rocks that have been crushed over time. Rocks can be crushed by water or waves, by the wind blowing, by another heavier rock landing on it, and even by just tumbling down a rough or rocky surface!
There are three different types of rock. These are igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. Rocks are divided into these categories depending on how they were made. Igneous rocks are formed when hot magma (what boils inside volcanoes) makes its way to the surface of the earth. It's much cooler on the surface of the earth, and when the magma cools it hardens and forms rocks. For another fun science idea, try to think about what else cools at the surface of the earth!
Sedimentary rocks are formed by bits and pieces of other rocks, minerals, and sand! When all these bits and pieces get squished together, they stick to each other and form a rock. You can spot sedimentary rocks because you can sometimes see the pieces that have come together. For example, a rock that has tiny red pieces and green pieces sticking out while being mainly composed of black rock could be sedimentary!
The last type of rock is metamorphic. Metamorphic rocks come from either igneous rocks or sedimentary rocks. When either of the other two rock types get buried underground, causing a higher pressure and temperature level, the minerals in the rock change themselves in order to be more comfortable. Once the rock minerals are comfortable, they settle down, but the result is a new and different kind of rock! Try out this fun science idea, see if you have the different types of rocks around your neighborhood! You probably do!
The sand we see comes from these different types of rock. When any of the three rocks get crushed into tiny bits, it creates sand. Just take a look at a beach and you will see how much rock has been crushed through the years! This also explains why sand can come in different colors. Because rocks come in different colors. When a certain colored rock gets crushed, the sand in creates is also colored. As a result, all around the world there are white beaches, black beaches, red and pink beaches, green beaches, and purple beaches! Isn't that amazing?
