#Someone stuck in quicksand how to
#Someone stuck in quicksand free

Quicksand is a mix of sand and water, according to Scientific American. That's because our body's density is lower than the quicksand's, 'Extreme Encounters' says. Moreover, it's impossible to drown in quicksand because humans float in it. In fact, most quicksand pools are only a few inches to a few feet deep. Quicksand is not like how Hollywood traditionally portrays it. It's easy to sink deeper into this stuff if you're flailing about, and just one mouthful of quicksand could lead to asphyxiation, per the book ' Extreme Encounters.' If you find yourself stuck in quicksand, the first thing to remember is not to panic.

#Someone stuck in quicksand how to

This article is primarily transcribed from a 2017 Insider video on ' How to escape quicksand - it's easier than you might think.' Some of the information has been updated.

#Someone stuck in quicksand free

This should loosen the dense sand around you, allowing you to pull yourself free slowly. Instead, calmly try freeing yourself by gently kicking your legs back and forth. Time is of the essence, so act quickly and calmly.If you get stuck in quicksand, remember it's impossible to drown in the stuff. Your best bet is to find external help as quickly as possible. You can also gently wiggle your legs, which can introduce more water to the sediment and liquefy it. This, in theory, should help you float on the surface and not plummet. Flailing around and trying to pull out your own limbs is likely to result in more of your body becoming submerged, which isn’t good news.Īs counterintuitive as it might seem, it’s often advised that you lean back and spread out to spread your weight more evenly. First and foremost, don’t panic (easier said than done, obviously). If you do find yourself stuck in quicksand, there are a few things you can do to ease the situation. The useful survival tip is to ditch any possessions you have on you, such as a backpack, as soon as possible. Can you go fully under in quicksand?Īs unpleasant as this might sound, it’s surprisingly hard for a human to completely submerge themselves in quicksand.Īn experiment by Dutch scientists, reported in the journal Nature in 2005, found that humans are about half the density of quicksand, meaning they should technically float on the quicksand provided they don’t struggle and bury themselves. This is where the old mantra of “the more you struggle, the more you’ll sink” comes from. On the other hand, any attempt to yank a limb out of the quicksand will also cause it to seize up and give it solid-like properties.

This means, in theory, you should be able to run across without sinking. It can act as a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning any applied stress (like a punch or a stomp) will make its apparent viscosity decrease and effectively turn it solid. They are most commonly found near bodies of water, like riverbanks or beaches, where the sediment is prone to become saturated. Quicksand is a sludgy solution of sand (or other fine granular material like silt or clay) that’s become mixed with just the right quantity of water, creating a surface that looks like a solid, but behaves like a semi-viscous liquid, like a super-thick milkshake.