Quicksand Information Center

All About Quicksand

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First of all, quicksand is not a special kind of sand. It is plain sand. But when water is forced upward through the sand, the grains are pushed apart and the sand swells. When this happens, the sand is no longer firm and cannot support heavy weight. If the water stops or drains, the quicksand becomes plain sand again.

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Quicksand does not pull you down. Instead, the weight of your body makes you sink. If you struggle you will sink faster.

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When you struggle you push more quicksand out of the way and sink faster. Most people, if they stay calm, only sink up to their necks. If you fall on your back, you could float on top of it, the same way you can float on the Great Salt Lake or the Dead Sea.

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The most common form of quicksand is found along the shores and in the beds of slow rivers and streams that have underground springs.

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Horses usually leap out of quicksand in short rabbit-like jumps. Mules lie down on their bellies with their feet tucked underneath them. They won't sink in this position. Cattle need help because they panic and sink quickly.