====== Sand types ======
===== Rules of physics =====
The tables below describe how physics interact with each sand type. The data is not exhaustive, and mainly contain types present in the demo.

==== Static types ====
Static sand sits in place and is not displaced by physics.
^ Type ^ Blocks creeper ^ Extra notes ^
| BEDROCK | Yes | Cannot be excavated |
| BREEDERLAND | No | Spawns creeper or anticreeper, depending on which type is on top of it |
| CREEPERDAMAGELAND | Yes | Decays in contact with creeper |
| LAND | Yes |   |
| LANDLOW0 | Partially | Blocks up to 20 creeper |
| LANDLOW2 | Partially | Blocks up to 80 creeper |
| METAL | Yes | Melts in contact with corrosive liquids |
| ROCK | Yes | Cannot be excavated |
| UNSTABLELAND | Yes | Decays on its own after a random amount of time |
| WOOD | Yes | Will burn when set on fire |

==== Sand types ====
This sand type falls down with gravity, but doesn't flow.
^ Type ^ Blocks creeper ^ Extra notes ^
| ACORE | No | Nearby AC ore is collected by miners to produce Anti-Creeper |
| BLOCKIUM | Yes | Units can pass through and be moved into |
| EMBER | No | Created when player ships are destroyed, can set materials on fire, decays quickly |
| KIRKIUM | No | Decays immediately in contact with creeper |
| RIFTIUM | Yes | Created when enemies are destroyed through nullification, can be collected with lathes for credits |
| SAND | Yes | Decays in contact with creeper |
| STONE | Yes | More difficult to excavate |

==== Liquid types ====
Liquid type falls down with gravity, and flows like a liquid. Most of the time, ships can be flown into and operate inside liquids, but they may be damaged by dangerous liquids.
^ Type ^ Blocks creeper ^ Extra notes ^
| ACID | Yes | Extremely harmful to ships |
| ANGORIUM | No | Can be collected by T.O.M. to supercharge it for a brief amount of time |
| C BREEDER LIQUID | No | Spawns creeper if there is creeper on top of it |
| LAVA | Yes | Extremely harmful to ships |
| MOLTENMETAL | Yes | Ships cannot be moved to or operate inside |
| PITLIQUID | No | Destroys creeper on contact |
| PIXELIUM | Yes |  |
| WATER | Yes | Harmless to ships |

==== Gas types ====
Gas types flow similar to liquids, except upwards. They generally decay after a short while. Most of them mainly exist to enhance visuals.
^ Type ^ Blocks creeper ^ Extra notes ^
| ACIDRAIN | No | Flows violently after hitting a ceiling. Turns back into ACID after a short while |
| CREEPERGASRISE | No | Created when creeper evaporates. Evaporation occurs when creeper of very low density flows |
| TERPGAS | No | Created when terraforming |

===== Sand interactions =====
Below is a full interaction table of sands in IXE. When two sands interact by coming into contact with one another, one or both sands may become something else after a certain amount of frames has passed. A second is 30 frames, so a time of 100 means roughly 3.3 seconds. A time of 0 means the effect occurs instantly.
 
^ Interaction ^ Result 1 ^ Time 1 ^ Result 2 ^ Time 2 ^
| ACID + METAL | METAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| ACID + MOLTENMETAL | MOLTENMETAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| ACID + LOOSEMETAL | LOOSEMETAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| ACIDRAIN + METAL | METAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| ACIDRAIN + MOLTENMETAL | MOLTENMETAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| ACIDRAIN + LOOSEMETAL | LOOSEMETAL => SMOKE | 100 | | |
| LAVA + WATER | LAVA => STONE | 90 | WATER => SMOKE | 60 |
| LAVA + ICE | LAVA => STONE | 90 | ICE => WATER | 90 |
| EMBER + WATER | EMBER => SMOKE | 0 | WATER => SMOKE | 0 |
| EMBER + ICE | EMBER => SMOKE | 0 | ICE => SMOKE | 0 |
| MOLTENMETAL + WATER | MOLTENMETAL => LOOSEMETAL | 200 | WATER => SMOKE | 30 |
| MOLTENMETAL + ICE | MOLTENMETAL => LOOSEMETAL | 200 | ICE => SMOKE | 100 |
| PIXELIUM + ACID | PIXELIUM => PITLIQUID | 0 | ACID => SMOKE | 0 |
| CREEPERMAKER + ACID | CREEPERMAKER => SMOKE | 0 | | |
| ACID + LAVA | ACID => ACIDRAIN | 60 | | |
| METAL + LAVA | METAL => MOLTENMETAL | 300 | | |
| LOOSEMETAL + LAVA | LOOSEMETAL => MOLTENMETAL | 200 | | |

There are a few notable extra interactions that aren't part of the interaction table:

^ Interaction ^ Result ^
| ANGORIUM + T.O.M. | Supercharges the T.O.M. turret briefly |
| CHARGITE + B.O.B. | Supercharges the B.O.B. turret briefly |
| WOOD | Set on fire by EMBER, LAVA or MOLTENMETAL |
| WATER + C BREEDER LIQUID | Liquids of similar viscosity mix together at constant odds | 

===== Creeper interactions =====
Creeper that finds itself embedded in sand that blocks creeper has a special gravity applied to it, to help it find open space to settle back on. For most sands, creeper that ends up inside (for example, because the sand fell on it) is going to travel through the sand with upwards gravity until it reaches a new empty spot to settle on.

Liquids that have settled, will flow around on the top layer of the liquid, if there isn't enough liquid to completely fill the top layer:
{{liquid_flow.gif}}

Most liquid sands block creeper, that includes e.g. water, lava or acid. However, creeper can find its way inside such sands, as the constant displacement at the top layer will end up with creeper becoming embedded in the sand very easily. 

Inside water or lava, creeper flows upwards, so even if a larger amount of creeper is pressing against those sands at the top layer, at most a little bit of creeper gets inside and then immediately is pushed out of it. However, creeper that is in acid flows downwards, this means that creeper will very easily enter acid, and pool at the bottom of it.