Sand

Sand is a block type that was first added to Minecraft in version 0.0.14a. Sand has 1 texture that is put on all 6 sides of the block. Sand blocks appear in maps in the form of beaches. A notable fact about Sand is that if there is no block below it, it will fall until it lands on the next available block (This is because sand in real life is loose and flowing, so it cannot support itself with nothing underneath. This means it is affected by gravity).

Creative Mode
Sand is available for use in Creative Mode. In Classic Mode, Sand appears naturally in 1 block-thick beaches that can appear by water or in the middle of a landscape. These beaches are always level and below Ocean level. Sand is not often used to build structures with because it is affected by gravity. Nonetheless, some players use non-gravity-affected blocks to support Sand. Sand is often used to make sand castles, or to create artificial beaches or deserts. Sand instantly appears at the lowest point it can go when it is falling.

Map editors can be used to create floating Sand, although the server will crash if the Sand is affected from its state.

Alpha Mode
In Alpha Mode, Sand can be found in much larger quantities than in a Classic Mode map. Beaches that appear by lakes or the Ocean can be up to 4 blocks thick, extending down to the Stone layer. Sand can be mined easily by hand, although using a shovel is recommended for digging large quantities of Sand. A mined Sand block always drops a Sand resource-block. Sand is a very weak block and will be destroyed largely by explosions. When Sand is being affected by gravity and falling, it exhibits a smooth falling animation. If falling Sand lands on a Mob or the player, it will suffocate it until it gets out of the block.

Sometimes Cavern tunnels branch up underneath Beaches. This creates natural floating Sand that will fall if a block is placed next to it.

Sand can be used in the construction of Airlocks. A Sand Block can be smelted into 1 Glass Block. 4 Sand blocks are used in the Crafting recipe of TNT. Sand can also be used in suffocation traps for Mobs. If falling Sand lands on certain blocks (like Torches or Steps for example) it will disintegrate into a sand resource block.



Uses

 * When smelted, it becomes Glass.
 * May be used with Gunpowder to create TNT.

Retired Modes

 * Survival Test - Acted the same as in Creative mode, could be mined to obtain a Sand block, very weak, destroyed in explosions.
 * Indev - Acted the same as in Creative mode, could be mined to obtain a Sand resource-block, very weak, destroyed in explosions. In Floating maps, patches of floating Sand could often be found. These would fall when a block was placed on them. Could be smelted into Glass and crafted into TNT.
 * Infdev - Acted the same as in Alpha mode.

Trivia

 * By very slightly covering the edge your player with sand using the manipulation of gravity, the player can see through solid blocks in Alpha Mode. This will allow the player to spot Caverns, Lava and Dungeons.
 * An old glitch in Classic Creative mode allowed players to raise the height of a fluid block by placing Sand over it. The Sand would stay suspended in mid-air until it was broken. When broken, a fluid block corresponding to the type below the sand would appear where the block was. The suspended fluid block would remain immobile until a block was placed next to it, causing a flood. This glitch has since been fixed.
 * A great way to power mine massive columns of sand is to dig under the stone or dirt that it is resting on. Under that dirt or stone, place a torch. Mine the dirt or stone, and watch as the column falls into the torch quickly, giving you the sand blocks. Note that the sand must fall on the torch for it to be mined. This technique also works for mining columns of gravel.
 * In Alpha single player mode, you will always spawn on sand. With Biomes added, there is a high chance of spawning in the desert.  Whether or not Notch wants this changed, is unknown.