Popular culture would have people believe that if you fall into quicksand then you will definitely sink to below the surface, but is this realistic, and can we prove scientifically what really happens? To scientifically model quicksand, and a person sinking in it, we need to define what quicksand is. Basically, quicksand is a suspension of sand particles-it could also be dirt as well as mineral and vegetable matter-in water. The ratio of the volume of the solid particles in the suspension to the total volume of the suspension is called the volume fraction. It is the volume fraction that determines the average density of the fluid and the buoyancy force that allows an object to float or sink.
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