Science aside
February 8, 2017
Beach sand comes in many different colors and particle shapes/sizes.
Technically, sand is a sediment classified by size from .0078 to 1.0 mm. Larger sediment is in the form of pebbles, rocks, and boulders; smaller particles form silt and mud.The sugary sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico are favored for their fine uniform soft sand.
Beaches with low energy waves, like the Gulf, tend to have finer sand than beaches with high energy waves--like the west coast. The slope of the beach also affects particle size. Lower sloped beaches, like the Gulf, result in more back-and-forth motion, which wears down particles.
Science aside, the real gauge of beach sand (in my opinion) is how it feels under foot.
[Carolyn Fjeran, LowTide explorer/reflective writer; horticulturist & gardener; former writer for Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners, and The Newnan Times-Herald]
Beach sand comes in many different colors and particle shapes/sizes.
Technically, sand is a sediment classified by size from .0078 to 1.0 mm. Larger sediment is in the form of pebbles, rocks, and boulders; smaller particles form silt and mud.The sugary sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico are favored for their fine uniform soft sand.
Beaches with low energy waves, like the Gulf, tend to have finer sand than beaches with high energy waves--like the west coast. The slope of the beach also affects particle size. Lower sloped beaches, like the Gulf, result in more back-and-forth motion, which wears down particles.
Science aside, the real gauge of beach sand (in my opinion) is how it feels under foot.
[Carolyn Fjeran, LowTide explorer/reflective writer; horticulturist & gardener; former writer for Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners, and The Newnan Times-Herald]
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