Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

i`m now searching for what type of sand that contain the highest amount of silicon dioxide(sio2),
is that beach sand?

Hi!
Interesting question - although I am not sure you will be able to get the type of sand with the HIGHEST content of silicon dioxide, the following website might help you out in giving you a couple ideas of what types of sand have higher silica content than beach sand. (The description on sands is a bit further down the page)

http://www.azom.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=1114#_Sand

For example, the following website has some types of sand for sale, and perhaps you can ask around at local stores to see if they know of suppliers of commercial-grade sand.

http://www.diytrade.com/china/4/product ... _sand.html

Depending on your project, beach sand would probably work fine, although if you want more accuracy, commercial-grade sand would obviously be better. Good luck!

I believe silicon dioxide IS sand, though I'm not one hundred percent sure.
There are two types of silicon dioxide: granular SiO2, commonly known as sand; and crystalline SiO2, or quarts crystal.

Hello!
Sand is not only exclusively silicon dioxide and can have different compositions.It depends on the location, some beach sands will have the presence of certain minerals, and sediments present that others will not due to the rock sources of the location the sand is in.But of course sio2 is the main component in most sands.If you are searching for the beach sand with the highest content of silicon dioxide it would be from a non-tropical setting or somewhere inland where the concentration of silicon dioxide is higher.Also,silicon dioxide is found as sand or quartz,and beaches that are white have higher contents of quartz .So if you want a sand with lots of sio2 you would purchase quartz sand.But of course most beaches are made up of quartz-rich sand,so depending on your location you could use beach sand.If not,Just search for retailers that sell quartz sand or silica sand.There are a lot!Hope that helps!If you have more questions Ill be happy to answer!

By the way,this website is an incredible resource:http://www.usgs.gov/

Just wondering, what is your question. Are you designing an experiment with a manipulated variable or are you doing a report on the different types of sand?
Carrol

Hi there,

Keep in mind that sand also contains materials from organisms that live in the ocean, especially shelled organisms. You may see a high amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in certain sands, depending on the location.

With a little research and the advice of the other experts, you should be able to find more information about the different sediments and their composition. If you post with more information about your project, we can help you along!

Heather