@Bruce, What's the estimated lifetime of the sand we use on our Sisyphus tables? I ask because, after constant use since March of this year, I now find that a noticeable amount of very fine dust is attracted by the static field of my hand when I pass it directly across the glass. Has anyone ever reported this phenomenon? It stands to reason that all that crunching would generate microparticles. How frequently should we replace the sand (which is a major pita, and I don't mean shawarma)?
Estimated longevity for silicon dioxide: forever (approximately). It's certainly likely that after miles of being rolled over with significant concentrated force, the sand particles will crush each other some. But I haven't experienced the need to replace the sand. In fact, if anything, it gets better / smoother. Your static problem is a different matter, though more noticeable as your sand becomes finer. Static phenomena are notorious for being difficult to track down and eliminate in industry. A long while back, I was obsessed / outraged by sand sticking to the ball during dry periods (like Minnesota winters). I tried grounding everything metal anywhere near the sand, including the pan. Nope. My undergrad was biochem and included lots of inorganic as well. Took me a while, but I finally tried mixing baking soda (NaHCO3) in - and it worked. Try adding a (well sifted) tablespoon to your sand and see if you notice an improvement (repeat as needed). I'd falafel if this became a pita for you.
<groan>
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