You Can Use a Grain of Sand as/to:

2008-11-03T17:22:00.003+10:00

Disclaimer: It is possible that some of the ideas below are duplicated, many are untested, some may not be practical. The idea is to demonstrate that there are always more options than you can think of....not just for a grain of sand, but also for your own life.
Imagine the Possibilities!

the world’s shortest timer
stop a baseball from rolling down a slope
demonstrate the use of a microscope
a counterfeit grain of salt
play a game of hide and seek in a salt shaker
bust the myth that a grain of sand can create a pearl
create a micro splash
slow down a flea
squash bacteria
test a lazer beam before eye surgery
blind a spider
block a hole made by a pin
a token in a micro board game
an obstacle for an ant
partial protection from a raindrop
knock together with another grain and produce a micro clap
create a minute blind-spot on the horizon, when held close to eye
calibrate sound volume by dropping on the floor
a microscopic sculpture by Willard Wigan
a platform for a microscopic sculpture made from gold
a pet grain of sand
stop debt – scratch the magnetic strip on your credit card
a great talking point
write a secret code on the side with a lazer beam
block the point of a mechanical pencil
stop the gears in an old watch
jam the pin of a gun
jam the button of a parker pen
scratch your initials in paint
block a micro sprinkler so you don’t get wet
a small plumb bob when glued to cotton
hold a small spider web still
scratch an eye ball
test a variety of surfaces for bounce capabilities
a decoration in a bottle
use as a space shuttle experiment - heating it up
create a movie – “The life of a grain of sand”
a substitute tip for a ball point pen
a weight used to make something very light sink in water
glue to the back of an insect in order to drown it
describe something small
crack thin glass when heated
bend a blade of grass when glued to the tip
a home for a very small insect
novelty item for display case
the world’s smallest shot put
the world’s smallest avalanche
an object to photograph and sell as a stock photo
take a photo for a post card
a tourist attraction outside my house – when my book is famous!
shade for an ant
a problem rock – pretend its your problem
a meditation object – it makes you feel big
a marble for a beetle
a numerical image to represent a mass of people
create a small silicon computer chip
create a small lump of glass
an object to sell on ebay
lower the productivity of your staff by asking them to brainstorm uses
a topic for a very bored school class
a topic for a university course – ‘Sand Grain 101’
a contrast to a large grain of sand
test a micrometer
create a very small shadow
get one million people thinking about sand
give you an excuse to write a best selling book
convince a person that their life is valuable – save them from suicide
ruin a good photo by placing it on the end of a camera lens
an exhibit in a museum labelled, “from King Tuts tomb”
drop from a skyscraper and timed to reach the bottom
a miniature ball for a microscopic soccer game
block the microphone in a mobile phone
test the flow of blood in an artery
block the eyes, ears or nose of a child’s doll
jam a light switch
block a keyhole and protect a treasure
test the gauge of steel gauze
cover a city on a map
mark your travels on a world map
a game - place the nose on a micro snowman
a size comparison for a collection of very small insects
occupy the mind of someone in solitary confinement
contrast to the value of a person
bust the myth that small things occupy small minds
an irritation on the handle of a sports racket
an object to blow back and forth in a game of table hockey
test the suction of a vacuum cleaner
test a macro lens on a camera
a unique exhibit in an art gallery when used with an electron microscope
to help a thread of cotton pass through the eye of a needle
to block the eye of a needle
jam a button on a mobile phone
fill a hole made by a wood borer
balance on a finger after a night of drinking
the starting point of the worlds biggest Tibetan mandala sand painting
balance it on a pin head as a challenging game
calibrate a sand sorting machine
something to smash with a hammer
drill a hole and create a small bead
stop someone drinking from a cup
break the data connection in a cable plug
ruin a good pair of sun glasses
the object of an Xbox game
jam a door lock
balance very sensitive scales
a wheel block for a matchbox car
place in a tin with a microphone and create a unique percussion instrument
block a button hole
place in a photocopier to create an annoying dot on every copy
a creative bookmark
demonstrate the use of an Atomic Force Microscope
contaminate a Bioresearch Cleanroom
demonstrate a Laser Particle Tester
a line in a Bob Dylan song – “in every grain of sand”
a line in a poem by Robert W Service – “I hold a single grain of sand”
destroy a microprocessor by dropping a grain of sand on it
scratch a winning lotto ticket
mark the back of a card in a poker game
the finishing touch to a giant sand castle
destroy a music CD
a doorstop in a doll house
watch it dance on the top of a drum kit
make an insect fly in circles when glued to one wing
place under one leg of a chair and make the chair rock
use in a micro slingshot
drop on the floor to annoy a person with obsessive compulsive disorder
block a small set of gears inside a toy car
set off an alarm connected to a very sensitive touch plate
explain a lunar eclipse – if the sun was a grapefruit and the earth a pinhead, the moon would be a grain of sand
roll it across the other side of town as a charity fundraiser
roll it 100 km to set a Guinness world record
a research project for a Masters Degree
scratch the expiry date on a softdrink can
an excuse not to eat a meal
an excuse to return a meal at a restaurant
a disguise for the world’s smallest listening device
occupy your mind during a very boring lecture
observe as it passes through the digestive system of a caterpillar
cut a thread of cotton
use as the eye in a small wood carving of a tiger
test the strength of a spider’s web – fasten the grain to one end
throw into a spiders web and see if it is caught
create a nano bible using a focused ion beam (FIB) generator
an object that a raindrop can hold
paint with phosphorous so you’ll never lose it again in the dark
stop a bolt and nut from screwing together
an object for a robot fly to carry
test the observation skills of someone by hiding it
a clue that solves a murder mystery
create micro bubbles when dropped in water
devalue a luxury car by scratching paintwork
the first of an amazing collection of microscopic things
the world’s smallest sundial
inject it into someone’s blood stream to cause a stroke
a target to shoot a rifle at
an object easily smuggled through customs
an irrelevant obstacle on a golf green
a reminder of the worst desert sand storm you have ever experienced
test an acid bath
jam an accelerator cable
stop a USB drive from plugging in
a cheap gift for someone who has everything
paint it bright red and use it for a warning marker
crack an eggshell
make someone jealous – my grain is smaller than your grain
create a small amount of breathing space under a piece of paper
place under paper to create an annoying bump for someone trying to write
inspiration for the finishing chapter of a novel
glue to the back on your wife’s bank card to stop it entering an ATM
bring a man to tears by scratching his new car
stop the second hand of a watch
a full stop in an important document you need to photocopy
a prototype for a range of sand souvenirs
the perfect match for another grain of sand
an electrical insulator
create a dot by protecting a small area from being painted by a different colour
swing from the end of a piece of human hair
an object to make a business card stand out from the crowd
taped to the top of a marketing letter to get people’s attention
keep a person on the ground by pressing a grain onto the end of their nose
stir liquid in the bottom of a test tube
help adjust the flight pattern of a small paper plane
watch it vibrate on a bass speaker
mark the centre point of a circle
make a dice roll a six by gluing to the one side
taped to a diary page to remember an important event
help trigger your memory when taped to your finger
ruin a skydiving experience when placed in eye goggles
take it with you on a world book launch tour
jam the sliders on a guitar equalizer
disperse the spray of a small jet of water
a language learning prop – teach someone the word for ‘sand’
glue to the side of a coin to jam inside a poker machine
a decoration inside a glass marble
make a cat lick its paw
jam the zipper on the back of an old dress as an excuse to get a new one
heat on a stove and drop into water to produce a small amount of steam
hide it behind a fridge magnet
teach a young child how to count
something a pair of tweezers can pick up
an object to trade for someone’s piece of dirt
jam a stapler
make into a charm for a bracelet
make into a keyring decoration
the starting point to anywhere in the world
used in a mystery sound competition during a popular radio show
an object to squeeze through mosquito netting
an object to squeeze through a small fish net
silence a child’s small but irritating whistle by jamming it inside
help fill a nail hole in the wall
jam inside an electrical socket to stop plugs and save power
destroy a very small spider web
an excuse to stop on a 40km hike – “got sand in my boot”
an object to fit in between the ridges of a finger print
an object to cling to your skin
test whether a person suffers from Tapinophobia – the fear of small objects
give yourself an unfair advantage – block the nozzle of a rival’s water pistol
block the nozzle of a garden hose to create a fine mist
take it to a paint shop as a colour matching sample
give it to celebrities to autograph
create a micro ripple in water
an object for a debate on creation vs evolution
show and tell for a young school student
an object to teach people not to take life so seriously
crack the frit of a windscreen during a hot summer day
fit between a very thin crack
an object to enter a bank vault undetected
change the pitch of a guitar string when placed on top of a fret
create a spectacular firetail entering the earth’s atmosphere
the central object in a cartoon series based around microscopic lifeforms
something for a camel to snort
tell you if a shelf has been dusted
a great start to a desert
help create a sand dune
place on a door handle to know when someone has been in your room
lift two grains of sand when used with a lever
place on top of a chocolate box to know when someone has opened it
prove that foreign objects will pass through your digestive system
something to scratch in your hair
used in Swedish folklore to create soup – www.stonesoup.com
pass through a scanner to observe cracks and flaws
help produce a musical note in a singing mountain of sand
create a drop of cement
home for Meiofauna (microscopic worms etc)
an object that inspires a painting
place near a magnet to test for iron
place a drop of vinegar to test for calcium carbonate – it will bubble
study with a magnifying glass
a clue to the geology of an area
stop a computer key working
render a can of WD-40 useless by blocking the nozzle
cover in oil and slide down a wet car windscreen
cover with sauce and flick it onto the ceiling of McDonalds
use as a counterfeit seed that never grows
a pick up line – “hey look, what’s that speck of sand doing on your shoulder?”
inspiration for an album title, “One Grain of Sand” – Odetta
create friction when held against a small piece of string
backdrop for a photo of bacteria
watch it dance in a vertical wind tunnel
a clear grain of sand can be used as a window for a micro house
a filling for an artificial mole on an actors face
a filling for an artificial but trendy beauty spot
start a popular blog named ‘Just One Grain’
start a brainstorming competition – The WD40 Challenge
stop a rolling ball
change the direction of a rolling ball
an object to test a very accurate GPS tracking device
change the outcome in a game of marbles
an impromptu topic to speak about at Toastmasters
an object of a photographic competition
a popular new category on www.Youtube.com
create a horizontal line pattern on a clay pot spinning on a pottery wheel
change the trajectory of a bullet when placed in the barrel of a gun
an object to tickle someone
a question for a child – a four year old asks an average of 437 questions a day!
block one of the four noses of a slug – yes, they apparently have four
a wedge to stop an egg from rolling off a kitchen bench
a wedge to hold a small object in a vertical position between two surfaces
test a pestle used for grinding
the pivoting point of a small catapult
balance on a string during a magic act
find the “smiling grain of sand” kids book
stick to a small piece of foam and make it float
a missile to blow through a plastic lolly pop stick
create a gap in the coil of a tight spring
an object to accompany Haley’s Comet around the solar system
watch it float in the atmosphere when dropped out of plane at 40,000 feet
see what distance it can travel flying on high atmospheric air currents
direct a small flow of water running down a slope
a token to respond to yes and no questions
covert communication tool for spies – a grain of sand left on table #6
a metaphor for a trivial matter
use to swap for a piece of dirt
controversial photo for the cover of Time magazine
inspiration for the name of an amateur rock band
pulverise on a train line
something to reflect light
something to refract light
protect a small surface from graffiti
stuck in the tread of a shoe, making an annoying noise while walking on tiles
block the head of a Phillips head screw
glue to the side of a coin to track its travels
scratch a DVD you hate as an excuse to throw it away
get an insurance payout saying a grain of sand made you psychotic
scratch a computer monitor and then negotiate a discount
arouse curiosity while panning for gold by saying, “is this gold?”
stop you buying a second hand camera lens
cause a space shuttle delay
test the law of gravity
test weightlessness in space
a point of leverage to lift a larger grain of sand
a small measure of time in an hour glass
photoshop a picture on one side
enlarge and display on Facebook to amuse your friends
place on a window washer to annoy someone
pick it up with a syringe
paint gold and glue to cheek as a new beauty trend
place in the hole of a lock to stop someone opening it
throw it down a crevasse just for fun
watch it disintegrate when superheated
a long game of hide and seek
magnify, photograph and use the image as a pattern on clothing
test for the presence of gold
an obstacle that could flip a moving matchbox car
a cool attachment to make people notice your moustache
destroy a work of art
ad to a work of art
ad scratching effects to a work of art
frame it and display as a controversial work of art worth $1 million
block a seagulls nostril
jam a fishing reel
test wind speed and direction
use it as a lure for small fish
leave it on a mountain top
take it overseas as a reminder of your home near the beach
test echo location technology
a murder weapon in a crime novel
compare to the size of various seeds
microchip it and track its movement in the ocean
dip in radiation to test a sensitive Geiger meter
dip it in blood to test the smell of a shark
star in a TV commercial
contaminate a space capsule
test a pair of tweezers
suck it up with a straw
blow it with a straw
float it down a river on a leaf
hire a transport company to send it to a friend as a practical joke
make enemies with an outlaw biker, drop it in his fuel tank
start a frantic search by dropping it on the floor and crying
a game of soccer across a table at a café
world championships sand flick competition
record attempt balancing on nose for 24 hours in the wind
record attempt hitting it in the air with a bat
squash a pimple on your nose
create a flaw in a crystal vase
spoil a wedding cake
block a gas nozzle on a BBQ
test how high it will jump on a bass speaker at full volume
jam a brake cable on a pushbike
something to rattle in a wine glass
remnants of a giant sandcastle
place in a bowl of rice for authentic Indian texture
jam the shutter on a camera
hold up to the eye and make a cow disappear on the horizon
roll it in dung and watch two dung beetles fight over it
make an ant-lion appear by dropping it in his home
listen to it whistle in the wind
reduce its size until it produces a D note sound
cover in honey and watch ants lick it clean
a metaphor to criticise the governments contribution to healthcare
something that would make a surgeon in the middle of a heart operation nervous
a reminder of an awesome day swimming down the beach
a cryptic clue in a crossword puzzle
make an ape inquisitive
a threat for a terrorist attack – contaminate it with radiation and mail it to the president
make another country suspicious – convene a secret meeting to discuss a grain of sand
your child’s first word
distribute microgametophytes and pollinate a beautiful flower
the object of an inspirational speech to an army facing defeat
an object that defeats a giant enemy in a children’s story
insert in TV channel selector button and stop people changing the channel
hold it with a clothes peg
freeze it in an icecube to make it magnified
flick it across a table and film it for a slow motion movie
skip it across the water and video it for confirmation
stop 2 pieces of lego from fitting together properly
use it to settle a debt
make someone laugh by saying their face is prettier than a grain of sand
insult a person by saying, “Your face looks like a grain of sand” (some grains are bland)
flatter a person by saying, “Your face looks like a grain of sand” (sand can be beautiful)
spoil someone’s sleep by dropping it in their bed
test the quality of a fly screen by seeing if the grain passes through
sit on the top of a fan blade and test what speed it can stay attached to the blade
glue to a specific switch on a control panel, to help identify it in the dark
place in a bar of soap to give someone a nasty surprise
torture a person by placing it in their saliva gland
block the nozzle of a baby’s bottle
watch it pass through the digestion system of a small transparent fish
a tombstone for a flea
watch a child poke it up their nose
place in your hair and then test a fine tooth comb
race it down a hill against another grain of sand
unexplored territory for a mineral scientist
the first brick in a micro house
weather forecaster, if the grain is wet, it will probably be a rainy day
something to compare the microscopic pores in a leaf
test the sound generated when dropped from 1 metre high
test the air movement in a room by measuring the distance travelled when dropped
use it as a baseline analysis to compare with sand 1 kilometre down the beach
the perfect object to take out your frustrations, no-one gets hurt
place in the corner of the room to check whether the cleaner is doing a thorough job
the first in an amazing collection – grains from every beach you have visited
balance on your hat while skipping
balance on a fingertip while trying to eat a meal
indent a pattern on aluminium foil
destroy the optic lens of a CD player
place under postage stamp for 3D effect
terrorize an ant by continually dropping the grain on its head
place in someone’s pocket to scratch their new mobile phone
drop it through the hole in a belt
help identify specific buttons for a blind person
stop the zipper on an important bag of luggage from working
watch a small fish pick it up and blow it out of its mouth
an object for a toy bulldozer to push around
balance it on a piece of cotton
sit on the top of a needle tip
an opportunity to share your spiritual beliefs
an object to ponder about while lying in bed
something to protect if being robbed – it draws the focus away from your wallet
give a dentist an interesting job, jam it in between your teeth
something for a gardener to scrape from their finger nail
test the strength of a vacuum cleaner – hide it in your carpet
rub it to create a positive charge and watch it stick to a TV screen
hide it between pages 10 and 11 as a reminder that you have read a particular novel
a bonus gift to accompany a collectors edition of my book
place in a bowl of toad soup, when the sand is soft, it is ready to be served
make a small hinge stick
throw at a piece of duct tape and make it stick
throw over a waterfall
ride a thermal air current
test thermal imaging equipment
test whether an eye operation was successful
a cartoon object that begs for an interesting caption
photograph your grain and start a viral email called help Sandy travel the world
create a hologram image
insert inside the exhaust pipe of your car to know if your son has taken it for a drive
place on an overhead projector to display on a large screen
place in a glass of water and watch it spin around when blowing bubbles with a straw
something a magician can turn into a tennis ball
star in a TV commercial for a new cleaning product
stick to a seagulls foot as proof that he stopped at Hervey Bay
prove it was a high tide last night
an object for a wave to wash up on the beach
help someone focus on what they can do instead of what they can’t
accompany a dog on a walk around the block
add beauty an authenticity to a shell
evidence that they got your order of gravel wrong
something for kids to fight over
something to test the sales skills of retail staff
the most newsworthy theft of the century
a challenge to create an interesting retail display
a gift for participants listening to a lecture on sand
make the ball inside an old computer mouse jam
glue to a mouse mat to frustrate a computer user
something to remind me of God
jam a safety switch and cause a house fire
a challenging object to pick up with chopsticks
hide it in the shadow of a piece of gravel
interrupt a haircut
place it on a jet of air and watch it hover
sell it to a shopaholic
place close to a small light to create a giant shadow
place in a wallet to know if it has been opened
watch it swim down a waterslide
inspiration for the annual Sand Grain awards
an object for a chat on facebook
test your eye by placing a white grain on a black background five metres away
perform a test for methamphetamines at border security
collect DNA evidence
stop a customer officer and make him check your shoes
used in a dry dummy run to transport drugs inside objects
a prized object to start trading with in a game of bigger and better

great start to a beach – Matt Wreford, Hervey Bay, Australia

Ruin a bar of soap – Matt Wreford
A mark of ownership – Matt Wreford
A reference point - Matt Wreford
Annoy a person’s eyes - Matt Wreford
Grit in your teeth - Matt Wreford
Wind speed indicator - Matt Wreford
Wind direction indicator - Matt Wreford
Scratch initials on a surface – Margaret, Hervey Bay, Australia
to clean camping dishes – Margaret, Hervey Bay, Australia
drop it on the beach and spend the rest of your life looking for it – John Cassel, Sunshine Coast, Australia
direct the eye’s attention to a spot on another person’s body – John Cassel
something to declare at a customs check-in – John Cassel
an irritation in a sock – John Cassel
ponder the origins of the universe – John Cassel
give it a name – John Cassel
a way to question a person’s mental stability – John Cassel
a topic for God to talk about – John Cassel
make someone insane by sticking them in a room with it – John Cassel
an object for teenage boys to pick out of their ears and noses after surfing – John Cassel
a weight for an ant – John Cassel
add to the mass of the planet – John Cassel
make water rise – John Cassel
an object to store warmth when heated – John Cassel
an object to hold moisture on the outside – John Cassel
block a carburettor – John Cassel
an object to melt – John Cassel
quench your thirst with a moist one – John Cassel
a high velocity weapon flying through space – John Cassel
an ingredient to make other elements – John Cassel
rub into cut to produce a scar – John Cassel
irritate someone by placing it under their watchband – John Cassel
an irritation under your toenail – John Cassel
a sentimental gift – John Cassel
part of a collection to remember war victories - Private Ryan collected sand – John Cassel
destroy an electric motor – John Cassel
create streaks when painting – John Cassel
block a Philips screw head – John Cassel
crack a tooth – John Cassel
make a slugs day very miserable – John Cassel
produce various colors by heating, cooling, adding moisture – John Cassel
make into a superhero – Jake Cassel, Mooloolaba, Australia
an irritation in your ear – Nev Woodbury, Hervey Bay, Australia
create a streak in your gyprock setting compound – Nev Woodbury
burn yourself with a heated grain – Nev Woodbury
irritation in your undies – Nev Woodbury
place on the end of a telescope to look like a galaxy – Nev Woodbury
let the air out of a tyre – Nev Woodbury
Polish the worlds smallest diamond – Dena Mullens, Nambucca, Australia
multiply by crushing – Mark Sewell, Shailer Park, Australia
a small measure of weight – Mark Sewell
take it into space and create an micro asteroid or space dust – Mark Sewell
a stepping stone for an ant colony – Mark Sewell
focus your camera lens on a close-up grain of sand to distort the background – Mark Sewell
a counterweight to lift an elephant, using a lever system – Mark Sewell
Be part of 'sand pictures' to create beauty - Shireen Penny, Valla NSW, Australia
Helps with exfoliation - Shireen Penny
Make a difference to a 'sand castle' - Shireen Penny
Be a 'sign of hope' to someone lost at sea - Shireen Penny
Help fill a sand pit = joy for a child - Shireen Penny
Cause a blister when in a shoe - Shireen Penny
Part of a 'sand dune' - Shireen Penny
Extends the beach - Shireen Penny
Used for drainage in a mini pot plant - Shireen Penny
Clogs up the washing machine - Shireen Penny
Add to soap to create a small sculpture - Shireen Penny
follows you around after a swim in the sea - Shireen Penny
create a small piece of glass – David Robinson, Hervey Bay, QLD
create a micro magnifying lens – David Robinson
shape it and create a lens for a micro microscope – David Robinson
a cutting tool – David Robinson
coating for a small roof tile – David Robinson
defend yourself by throwing it into an attackers eye – Andrew Hill, Hervey Bay, QLD
canvas to paint a picture – Brian Humphries, Maryborough, Australia
shed tears when placed in eye – Josh Sewell, Hervey Bay, QLD
photographed with microscope, enlarged and displayed as art – Natasha, Armidale
Test viscosity (measure of the resistance of a fluid) by timing how long a grain of sand takes to travel the depth of a container – Cameron Weston – Melb
a building block in a sandcastle masterpiece – Melissa Buckle
send a grain of sand into the event horizon of a black hole to create the universes first grain of sand in a quantum singularity – josh buckle
a presidential paperweight on a desk in an oval office of a sand castle white house – josh buckle
something a mouse will break its tooth on when it thought it was a stale bread crumb – Josh buckle
the last piece of sand to finish a man made beach – josh buckle
a microorganism’s Mt Everest – J Buckle
add heat to make a tiny glass window for an ant’s new home – J buckle

List of Uses for a Grain of Sand

Over 500 uses and still going strong!!!

New Feature: Use the search feature on this page to see if someone already has your idea on the list

More Uses Than a Can of WD40

You Can Use a Grain of Sand as/to: