How to Make Homemade Magic Sand

How to Make Homemade Magic Sand Magic Sand  (also known as Aqua Sand or Space Sand) is a type of sand that doesnt get wet when placed in water. You can make your own Magic Sand at home by following a few simple steps. Magic Sand  Materials Basically, all you need to do is coat the sand with a waterproofing chemical. Just gather: Clean sandWaterproofing spray (such as Scotchguard) How to Make Magic Sand Place the sand in a small pan or bowl.Evenly spray the surface of the sand with the waterproofing chemical. You may need to shake the container of sand to expose untreated surfaces. You dont have to drown the sand in the chemical- youll have enough once the sand changes from looking dry to appearing wet.Allow the sand to dry.Thats it. Pour the sand in water and it wont get wet. How Magic Sand Works Commercial Magic Sand, Aqua Sand, and Space Sand consist of colored sand that has been coated with trimethylsilanol. This is a water-repellent or hydrophobic organosilicon molecule that seals any cracks or pits in the sand and prevents water from sticking to it. Magic Sand appears silvery in water because hydrogen bonding between water molecules causes the water to form a bubble around the sand. This is critical to how the sand functions because if the water didnt stick to itself so well, the anti-wetting agent wouldnt be effective. If you feel like testing this, try putting Magic Sand in a non-water-based liquid. It will get wet. If you look closely, youll see the sand forms cylindrical structures in the water, as the water forms the lowest surface area structure that it can around the grains. Because of this, people sometimes assume there is something special about the sand. Really, its the coating and the magic properties of water. Another Way to Make Magic Sand Water repellent sand was made long before toy makers marketed Magic Sand. Early in the 20th century, Magic Sand was made by heating together sand and wax. The excess wax was drained, leaving hydrophobic sand that behaved much like the modern product. More Fun Projects To Try Magic Colored Milk Project (Surface Tension)Make Silica or Pure SandMake Homemade Oobleck References   G. Lee, Leonard (Publisher) (1999),  The Boy Mechanic Book 2, 1000 Things for a Boy to Do. Algrove Publishing - Classic Reprint Series original  publication 1915.