Can you turn glass back into sand?

Asked by: Jodie Appleton, New Zealand

Finely crushed glass is basically a very pure form of sand. Technically, natural sand is made of quartz crystals of silicon dioxide, whereas glass is the non-crystalline, amorphous form of silicon dioxide. But when it is ground down enough, the difference isn’t obvious.

Crushed glass is sold as an alternative to sand for pool filters – in fact, recycled crushed glass has been considered as a partial replacement for the sand on some of Florida’s eroding beaches.

Read more:

• Can plastic bottles be reused in the way glass bottles were in the past?
• Why does glass shatter so violently?

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