Glass is used everywhere. Glass is in our homes, businesses, cars and many products. Since it has been discovered, glass has been used in many different ways. However, just what is glass and how is it made? Glass has a long history, dating as far back as 3600 BC. Over time the method of honing glass has improved where we now have a number of different types of glass. For those who have never known how glass is made, M & M Glass would like to take this time and share how glass is made and more interesting facts about glass that many people do not know.
What is Glass and How is it Made?
Glass is made from sand, and when sand is super-heated and then rapidly cooled, you get glass. Human discovery of glass came about due to the result of volcanoes that left behind volcanic glass called obsidian. Obsidian was used for arrow heads, knives and other tools. Because of obsidian, man’s love for glass was born and over time we learned to make glass and shape it into many different forms and uses. Glass is made of a silica sand which is the base material of glass. However, there are a number of different glass types. Each type of glass has its own recipe that contains a base material, former, and other additives. Glass is made by melting down the raw material until it becomes a liquid. Once the materials have become a liquid they can then be shaped. When you think about glass, we see that it is used it in many different ways. We use glass for windows, mirrors, even railings. We use it to create small bottles and containers. The glass is formed while it is still liquid. Glass was originally shaped by pouring the liquid into a mold. Today, glass is shaped by blowing air through a hollow tube. For larger pieces of glass like for windows or mirrors, the liquid glass is floated on a tin pool with a vinegar or oil coating. Once the melted material has been shaped, it is cooled rapidly and now we have glass.
Benefits of Glass
Glass can be shaped and made to be used in many different ways. Not only can glass be used, but it can also be reused. Glass is recyclable. Most people assume that only glass containers are cleaned and then reused. But glass can be remelted and reshaped. Recycling the glass is simple and efficient. Another benefit is that glass can be combined with other materials to make it stronger. Glass can be combined with plastic which makes bulletproof glass and windshields. Glass can be used to create works of art and create beautiful and colorful pieces. Even a basic window can be created with a beautiful scene or design that easily enhances any home, business or other public setting.
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Glass is an amazing discovery that has been used to create some of the most complex machines and devices. The satellite we send to space to take picture of stars, planets and other solar systems has some of the most refined and quality glass mirrors ever made. At M & M Glass, we hope you enjoyed some interesting facts about glass. For quality glass services, contact M & M Glass today.
