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News From the Field

Force Is the Key to Granular State-shifting


February 15, 2013

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Ever wonder why sand can both run through an hourglass like a liquid and be solid enough to support buildings? It's because granular materials--like sand or dirt--can change their behavior, or state. Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that the forces individual grains exert on one another is what most affects this transition.Full Story

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North Carolina State University

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