Why Is Quicksand Called Quicksand?

The “quick” of quicksand refers to how rapidly and easily sand grains move around when sand is over saturated. Earthquakes can disturb sand and water to form quicksand.

Why Is Quicksand Called Quicksand?

Quicksand is an incredibly fascinating phenomenon found in nature. It is also scientifically known as a non-Newtonian fluid, a fancy way of describing its properties. In layman’s terms, quicksand is a mixture of sand, sediment, and water with an extremely high viscosity—when in a sandy area, a person who values their life should ensure they don’t accidentally step in it or risk getting stuck. But you may be wondering, why is it called quicksand?

The answer lies in its unique behavior, which is much greater than the behavior of regular sand. Quicksand behaves like a liquid more than it does a solid, and when something is placed in it or steps on it, the forces of buoyancy and viscosity come into play. Essentially, it will start to “flow”, causing a person to sink more and more as they struggle to get free. This is why it can so easily become a dangerous trap for people and animals—the more they struggle and move around, the harder it is to escape. As a result of its unique combination of properties, it has been aptly nicknamed quicksand.

Quicksand also behaves differently than regular sand