Sand, Copper Canyon Adventure Park, Mexico
The sand grains here include quartz, feldspars, mica,
magnetite, and other minerals. The feldspars tend to show twinning,
like the grain at upper right.
Transmitted Crossed Circular Polarized Light
Definition/Function:
Significance in the Environment:
Characteristic Features:
Associated Particles:
References:
Greenberg, Gary, A GRAIN OF SAND: NATURE'S SECRET WONDER, Voyageur Press, 2008.
Welland, Michael, SAND: THE NEVER ENDING STORY, University of California Press, 2009.
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjun01/clsand.html
(Good Information on the microscopy of sand, Great site for more information on
microscopy in general)
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-grain-of-sand-natures-secret-wonder
(Good Information on Sand with links to more information on sand)
http://www.sciencelive.org/component/option,com_mediadb/task,play/idstr,Open-feeds_fsc_exploring_sedimentary_processes_fsc02_02_m4v/vv,-2/Itemid,97
(Brief, very informative video on what can be learned from the shape of a sand
grain.)