Glass primarily refers to a solid-looking transparent material commonly used in everyday routines. There are numerous types of glass, each made from varying materials. This makes us wonder whether glass can be considered a rock.
It is a common misconception to think of glass as a man-made material only because it is available in many natural forms as well, including Obsidian. So, even though most glass is made up of sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate, it would be incorrect to say that glass cannot be a rock.
This article will guide you through the classification of glass as a rock and the process of glass formation, so continue reading!
What Type of Glass Can Be A Rock?
Volcanic rock is a specific glass type formed from volcanic lava. Obsidian, an igneous rock, is a naturally occurring volcanic glass that is created when volcanic lava cools down instantly.
What Is Obsidian Composed Of?
This volcanic glass contains large amounts of silica and very low water. However, if the lava pressure is high, obsidian may contain around 10 percent. This is important to maintain its fluidity at lower temperatures.
When the lava erupts, the low pressure makes most of this water escape. This thickens obsidian by increasing its viscosity. The higher viscosity makes it harder for the lava to form crystals, so it becomes glass instead. However, there are many different forms of obsidian with varying compositions of materials.
The glass mostly looks opaque because of its large amounts of closely packed crystals. The arrangement of these crystals might be different in each obsidian rock, including spherical clusters, needlelike crystals, and radial arrangements. The difference in its structure depends on how fast the lava flows and how thick it is.
However, the shape of volcanic glass can frequently change because it is highly unstable. It solidifies to become a crystal over some time.
Where Is Obsidian Found?
Since obsidian is a changing mineral prone to geological and environmental impacts, these materials are not found in regions with volcanic activity millions of years ago. Obsidian rocks are currently common in the following places:
1. Mount Helka, Iceland
2. Eolie Islands, Italy
3. Yellowstone National Park, United States
What Are The Uses Of Obsidian?
Obsidian has been in use since a long time ago. Native Americans and several other tribes initially used it to create weapons, tools, and ornaments. People from the ancient Greek Civilization made mirrors from obsidian.
Also, sharp stone artifacts, including arrowheads, were created using obsidian because of their smooth curved surfaces and sharper edges. Given their appealing and diverse tones, obsidian stones are occasionally utilized as semiprecious stones.
Having learned about obsidian as volcanic glass, let’s discuss how other glass forms are made.
How Is Glass Made?
For everyday purposes, man-made glass gets created using sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate. Sand is combined with used glass from recycling collections, soda ash, and limestone and burned in a smelter for commercial glass production. Soda-lime glass can be recycled because it can be remelted.
Each ingredient in the process serves a unique purpose. An example is soda which lowers the sand’s melting point. Although this is beneficial during production because it speeds up the process, it may result in glass that can easily dissolve in water. Therefore, limestone is added to prevent this.
After melting the sand, it can be transformed into different shapes, bottles, glasses, containers, or even glass windows.
The following video guides you through the different ways of making glass in a warehouse:
What Are The Techniques For Making Glass?
The methods that glass manufacturers use change depending on the type of glass required. To adjust the glass’s characteristics and appearance, additional chemicals are added.
To create green-colored glass, iron chemicals are mixed with the melted sand. Boron oxide is added to molten sand to produce an oven-proof glass, which is often referred to as PYREX. Other chemicals like lead oxide produce glass with delicate crystals that are easier to cut.
Multiple layers of glass and plastic are combined to create bulletproof glass. Additionally, the molten mixture needs to cool down quickly to create more durable glass, such as that used in car windows and windshields.
Stained glass, including that used in Churches, is created by mixing various metallic compounds into a molten mixture. The different metals create distinct segments of glass and colors. The same metal oxide may give many hues with various glass compositions.
To create unique shapes, glass makers often blow air through the open end of the pipe. This results in blowing up the glass. Then, the glass makers shape it according to their preferences.
Now, let’s discuss what glass is used for.
Uses Of Glass
Glass is an innovative material with several uses. As it can be recycled countless times without any loss in quality, glass is highly beneficial considering the current global environment. Also, it can be found in different designs and colors to choose.
Modern architecture uses glass windows to balance colored light and airy space from the outside. With new production techniques, glass is available in numerous textures and finishes.
It is a crucial component of many things that we use daily, perhaps without even realizing it. The following list highlights some uses of glass:
1. Doors and windows
2. Food packaging
3. Cars and other transport, including airplanes and ships
4. Medical technology, including eyeglasses
5. Bottles for beverages
6. Crockery, including plates, glasses, and bowls
7. Electronic applications, including smartphones, televisions, and computer screens
8. sustainable sources of energy, including solar panels, power-saving lights, and machinery
Final Takeaway
Glass is an essential component of our daily life. It is commonly made from man-made production processes but can also be a rock. Even though volcanic glass is not used abundantly anymore, it is still useful as natural glass, and obsidian is an example of this.
