• Question: how can glass b so clear?

    Asked by jcook10 to Aime, Akshat, Diana, Gemma, Judith on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Judith McCann

      Judith McCann answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Oooh, Love materials questions!! Glass is clear because it only refracts a small proportion of the light that passes through it.

      Most solids form lattice structures where all the atoms or molecules in the material pack really closely together (crystalline) but in glass the molecules are in a jumble and not closely packed together (amorphous) they are solid but have a similar alignment to most materials in a liquid form.

      Most materials can be made to be amorphous by not giving them enough time to get into neat crystalline formations-so cooling them really quickly!

    • Photo: Akshat Rathi

      Akshat Rathi answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Judith is spot on about glass being an amorphous solid but I think she mean to say that glass only ‘reflects’ a small proportion of light.

      Light is made of photons. Certain materials like water, glass, clear plastic reflect some photons but let most pass through which makes it transparent (clear). 🙂

Comments