Sand Silica Calculator

What is Sand Silica?

Sand silica, also known as silica sand or quartz sand, is a granular material composed primarily of finely divided quartz (SiO₂). It is one of the most common minerals found on Earth and is a major component of many types of sand. Silica sand is valued for its chemical and physical properties, making it essential in various industrial applications, including glassmaking, foundry work, and water filtration.

Formula and Parameters

To calculate the composition of sand, we use the following formulas:

1. Total weight: \(W_t = W_s + W_{SiO_2} + W_o\)
2. Silica percentage: \(P_{SiO_2} = \frac{W_{SiO_2}}{W_t} \times 100\%\)
3. Other minerals percentage: \(P_o = \frac{W_o}{W_t} \times 100\%\)

Where:

• \(W_t\) is the total weight
• \(W_s\) is the sand weight
• \(W_{SiO_2}\) is the silica weight
• \(W_o\) is the weight of other minerals
• \(P_{SiO_2}\) is the silica percentage
• \(P_o\) is the percentage of other minerals

Calculation Steps

Let's calculate the sand composition using an example:

Given:

• Sand weight (\(W_s\)) = 80 g
• Silica weight (\(W_{SiO_2}\)) = 75 g
• Other minerals weight (\(W_o\)) = 5 g

1. Calculate total weight: \[ W_t = W_s + W_{SiO_2} + W_o = 80 + 75 + 5 = 160 \text{ g} \]
2. Calculate silica percentage: \[ P_{SiO_2} = \frac{W_{SiO_2}}{W_t} \times 100\% = \frac{75}{160} \times 100\% = 46.88\% \]
3. Calculate other minerals percentage: \[ P_o = \frac{W_o}{W_t} \times 100\% = \frac{5}{160} \times 100\% = 3.12\% \]
4. Verify the results: \[ P_{SiO_2} + P_o + \frac{W_s}{W_t} \times 100\% = 46.88\% + 3.12\% + 50\% = 100\% \]

Example and Visual Representation

Let's visualize the sand composition with our example:

This visual representation shows:

• The proportion of silica in the sand sample (46.88%)
• The proportion of other minerals (3.12%)
• The remaining sand component (50%)