Re: Question. Something I just can't understand
I will take a stab at this also, I am kind of new at this and had thought of the same thing. From my understanding, think of it this way. While a coin or ring etc., might not be very heavy, all of it's weight might be distributed over a much smaller footprint. Thus, the force, exerted over that small area is much greater. Similar to the issue in some buildings where a floor might not support something like a refrigerator but it would support a water bed. The issue being that while a water bed, fully filled, might weigh more than a refrigerator, the weight of a refrigerator would be concentrated on a smaller footprint and thus distributing more force on that area. However the water bed, might distribute it's weight over about 8X the area using more of the underlying support to hold it up. The downward pressure per sq foot is much less. Especially, depending how many feet there might be on the bed to carry that weight , Or maybe the issue of why you can't walk on water but you can stand on a flat bottom boat. Or, try walking in the snow with your boots or shoes. Then put on skiis or snow shoes. Why, if you weigh the same in all instances do you sink in the snow in your boots but can stand ON the snow in your skiis or snow shoes. Reason being is that your weight is being distributed in a more concentrated way in one case and redistributed over a greater surface area in another. .
Looking at the makeup of sand or dirt, and the comparity of that to the size of the edge of a coin, there is a lot of possibility for the thin edge of a coin etc. to slowly edge itself between the grain of the soil or sand and sink. I would imagine, if one were to pay attention to this, you would probably find such items in the ground on end as opposed to flat. For similar reasons as mentioned above. More weight being exerted over less area when on edge as opposed to flat. Now, add in other factors. If the ground is hard compacted and dry, and stays that way, it might be that a coin won't sink as far or as fast. However, if the area is soft, loose and wet, with a lot of rain, as the soil gets wet and looser, the coin would settle. Loose sediment that is displaced will then flow over the top, burrying it. As time goes by, this process compounds as the object gets further and further below the surface.
Now, add the issues of erosion. Wind blowing dirt and sand that cover objects on the ground. With the top soil or sand shifting, items can get deeper and deeper in some areas. But, the good news for detectors, if they look carefully at the geology around them. Other areas may become more and more exposed as that sand and dirt comes from somewhere. Then, there is the issue of grass and leaves from trees.... and stuff that falls on the ground. In forests, where the grass isn't mowed and leaves aren't raked, all those leaves decompose over the top of the forest floor. That would also, over the years, possibly add inches to the depth of an object. As people walk over the area, the loose materials get compacted under new layers of new materials. The object can then get deeper and deeper.
All of what I have mentioned is my theory from my rationalization of the thinking. Don't know how accurate that might be. Hope I am not wrong and that it helps some.
