Garie Beach

Which is true about sand on beaches in North Carolina?

1.) Sand is rich in quartz because it has traveled far from its source. 2.) It's poorly sorted because it has traveled far. 3.) It's angular because it has traveled far from its source.

Public Comments

1. I have never been to the North Carolina beaches, but I have some knowledge of beaches in general - and some 150 millon years old ones in great detail. Since one beach is much like another (at least from a sand grain's point of view, here it is: 1) True. Just about everything else has either weathered, or been sorted out due to different density. 99.9% of the beaches of the world are rich in quartz. 2) False. Travel distance tends to improve sorting, since equal-sized grains tend to be carried equally far by a river or other current. 3) also False: As grains are carried along, ther are gradually worn round and smooth. So long transport leads to round grains, and round grains imply long transport.