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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread singing sand #122169 02/05/2004 10:45 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 In another thread, "crepitation" reminded me of singing sand. Some sandy areas are much more noisy underfoot than others, probably depending on how much the sharp edges of the silicon crystals has been rounded by wave or wind action. In some areas, just the wind can cause the noise. Singing sand Singing sand is sand that emits sounds of either high or low frequency under pressure. The sound emission is usually triggered by wind passing over dunes or by walking on the sand. The sound is generated by shear stress. Certain conditions have to come together to create singing sand: The sand grains have to be round and between 0.1 and 0.5 mm in diameter The sand has to contain silica gel The sand needs a certain humidity The most common frequency emitted seems to be close to 450 Hz. Other sounds that can be emitted by sand have been described as "roaring" or "booming". External links Booming sand Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: singing sand #122170 02/06/2004 8:11 AM Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK dxb Pooh-Bah dxb Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK ... Listen to the age old story of The shifting, whispering sand ... Yes it always whispers to me Of the days of long ago When the settlers and the miners Fought the crafty Navajo How the cattle roamed the valley Happy people worked the land And now everything is covered By the shifting, whispering sand Oh the miner left his buckboards When he worked his claims that day And the burro's broke their halters When they thought he'd gone to stay How they found the ancient miner Lyin dead upon the sand For months they could but wonder If he died by human hands So they dug his grave and laid him On his back and crossed his hands And his secret still is hidden By the shifting, whispering sands This is what they whispered to me Way out in the quiet desert air Of the people and the cattle And that miner lying there If you want to learn his secret Wander through this quiet land And I'm sure you'll hear the story Of the shifting, whispering sand ... The shifting, whispering sand... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: singing sand #122171 02/11/2004 1:16 AM Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean consuelo Carpal Tunnel consuelo Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean The sands along the shore at Tulum, in Quintana Roo, Mexico make noise when walked upon. It is a very fine white sand, almost as fine as talcum powder. Not a good thing in a wind storm, sleeping in a thatched hut. You wake up in the morning and you and everything in the hut resemble an emery board. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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