Quicksand problem

Does anyone can kindly answer me the following 2 questions?
If you become stuck in quicksand the best strategy to free yourself is to lie on your back, free your legs. and roll toward the shore. Why this is so?, and
If you discover someone else stuck in quicksand the best thing to do is pull the person out very slowly, why is that?
Thank you^^

ehhhhhhhh?.... hmmmmmmmm those are toughies..... I can\'t help you..... BTW - Why do you want to know this?

Quicksand is way denser then water,
you can float on it, as long as you don\'t struggle like a panicking chicken you should be ok,
You have to move slow, so that the sand can encompass your whole body, this will make you buoyant, and it will save you from sinking.

Why the hell do you need this info?

cant say ive ever taken a nice refreshing dip in a pit quicksand so i wouldnt know.

[Titan]

He could use it if he is walking and he falls in a pit of quicksand.

Originally posted by Titan
He could use it if he is walking and he falls in a pit of quicksand.

I think he knows what to do,
he is asking "why" does he have to do that.

Well, see... quicksand is just normal sand caught in upwelling water - as a mixture it has high viscosity (i.e. clings to things and weighs them down) but otherwise behaves just like a liquid. So like every other liquid - the best thing to do is to try and float on it.

I\'d say viscosity and friction has a bearing on the speed issue... the sand will be reluctant to let go of anything moving quickly - it will just cling harder, but will \'roll\' with a slow moving body.

thankyou guys for your awesome comments, there\'re many genius out there, isn\'t,...
anyway, this is for my university research topic though,...

Originally posted by wthc

thankyou guys for your awesome comments, there\'re many genius out there, isn\'t,...
anyway, this is for my university research topic though,...

 I was getting worried why you wanted to know, but i think they are all right