| It's a such common everyday material, I'm so sure that | | | | suitable for building as it breaks into shards. |
| you'll be able to see it everywhere you turn. Glass. | | | | Before annealed glass, there was plate glass, where it |
| Yup, that amorphous liquid made out of sand. | | | | was formed by rolling it flat. |
| If you've seen "Sweet Home Alabama" before, than | | | | There is such a kind of glass that is a bit tougher and |
| you know what I'm talking about. Glass is naturally | | | | safer from breakage, called tempered glass. It is said |
| made out of sand when it is striked by lightning, | | | | to be six times stronger than annealed glass, but it |
| morphing into brilliant shapes and objects. | | | | does have a few drawbacks. |
| I don't think glass will ever cease to be useful, but even | | | | If it does get broken, the whole glass panel will fall |
| as it is highly utilized in this world, glass can also be | | | | apart into small bits. Also, since the portions of the |
| turned into highly-valued works of art. | | | | tempered glass are formed differently, the outer |
| In fact, here's a tip for you: search the beaches to see | | | | portion of the panel is more susceptible to scratches. |
| if you've found pieces of sea glass (not naturally | | | | Laminated glass was invented by Edouard Benedictus, |
| occuring but the kind that was thrown into the sea and | | | | after discovering that a glass flask coated with |
| molded by it after many years into smooth, round | | | | cellulose nitrate was dropped to the ground, shattered, |
| shapes) because they have lately become valuable | | | | but did not break. |
| and highly sought-after. | | | | This type of glass is more commonly used for |
| It was naturally occuring glass, like obsidian (glass | | | | windshields and security purposes, as it is bulletproof. |
| naturally created from volcaninc magma), that has | | | | Laminated glass is formed from typical annealed glass |
| been in use since the stone age. | | | | and a generous coating of polyvinyl butyral. |
| It was then used as a glaze for pottery until the | | | | Recently innovated is self-cleaning glass, which may |
| method of glass-blowing was developed in the first | | | | just put window-cleaners out of business. It is coated |
| century b.c., making glass more available. Its name is | | | | with titanium dioxide. It enables ultraviolet rays to break |
| derived from the Latin word for ice, "glacies." | | | | down organic compounds on the surface. |
| Glass can be made out of pure silica, but to make the | | | | Water is also attracted to the surface of the glass, |
| glassmaking process easier, ash and lime is added. | | | | leaving a thin coat that washes away these |
| From these basic ingredients, a variety of glass can be | | | | compounds. |
| formed. | | | | Low-emmisivity glass has metallic-based coatings that |
| There is the float or annealed glass. Most of the | | | | hinder the glass from transferring thermal energy, |
| world's flat glass is annealed glass, since the process | | | | making it more energy-efficient. |
| for making this was invented in the 1950s by Sir | | | | So whenever you're drinking a glass of water or |
| Alastair Pilkington. | | | | marvelling at a glass sculpture or modern glass |
| Molten glass is poured onto a tin bath and levels out to | | | | architecture, think of what you've just learned and how |
| dry in parallel, flat surfaces. Annealed glass is not | | | | glass can change the world you live in. |