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Hi, I'm Grant with another NASA fact.

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Did you know astronauts study sand in space?

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Why would astronauts study sand?

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On Earth, dry sand or soil particles are tightly packed together.

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This creates friction that makes the sand or soil strong.

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What about wet sand or soil?

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If water gets between the particles, then the particles lose friction and the ground

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can act like quicksand.

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This is called liquefaction, which means solid sand or soil acts more like a liquid.

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How can studying sand in space help scientists on Earth?

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On Earth, gravity pulls the particles down too fast to watch.

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In space, scientists can watch and study the particles slowly separating.

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This helps our scientists understand how soil moves during an earthquake.

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Who else can ask to help with their results?

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For the answer to this question and more, check out our website.

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Until next time, I'm Grant with another cool NASA fact.