Amazing Liquid Sand

Downloadable (1 PDF - 6 pages) 

Ideal for grades 5-7, Amazing Liquid Sand examines the effects of liquefaction from an earthquake on buildings and buried storage tanks by building a simple model and simulating an earthquake. Students will then discuss ways to mitigate the impacts of liquefaction.

After completing this experiment, students will:

• Understand the effects of liquefaction and it’s relation to earthquakes

• Lesson plan
• Student experiment worksheet

• 1-2 ping pong balls per group (2-5 students)
• 1 weight of at least 60g per group
• About 400 g of well-sorted sand (sandbox sand) per group
• 1 small disposable aluminum roasting pan (deep enough to hold ping pong ball)
• 1 clear plastic cup per group
• 0.5L water per group