Glass - ancient artifacts found and used by man.It was found as not a man came up and made the first glass.Most likely, the first came from the lava rocks are still many millions of years ago.This substance is now known as obsidian.
People are gradually getting to know nature, we noticed that if you mix baking soda with natural sand and heat, it becomes transparent substance.So they know what is in the glass.At least, that's what this process is described by Pliny the Ancient Greek lexicographer.And began the history of human use of this product, which has become totally indispensable in the life of humanity today.
But there is another theory that explains, from which glass is made.Some scientists believe that the glassy material appeared as a byproduct during firing pottery and copper smelting.
This remarkable product has played a prominent role in the life of mankind.Its value can not be overemphasized.Production of glass can be compared with such an open person, as the invention of the wheel and production of fire.Even in ancient Egypt of the substance produced a variety of jewelry, they glazed ware, and then learned to make containers for the storage of various liquids.
XIII century glass production has increased dramatically.Center for its production became Venice.Masters of the city was able to learn the secrets of the east window, and they have developed and improved the technology of its creation.Glassmakers were able to achieve the transparency of the glass, due to the addition of a variety of contaminants, they learned how to make a variety of dishes, extraordinarily elegant and subtle.It cost a lot of money.In general, then glassware used more like jewelry and luxury goods, works of art.During these works the master glassblowers of Venice paid with their freedom, the prisoners on the island of Murano, they learned how to make such products, that the glory of Murano glass spread around the world.
time went on, people found other applications this product.Manufacturing technology of glass improved.Covering one side of the reflective layer products, amalgam, they came up with a mirror.Glass has been used in construction, especially in building temples and palaces.Learn to do the glass color, masters began to make remarkable beauty and stained glass windows.Over time, the glass has been used in the art.People have learned that it can dissipate and focus light - invented a magnifying glass, making the microscope and telescope.These inventions have made a giant step in the development of natural sciences - biology, astronomy, physics, and medicine.Without this product is absolutely impossible scientific work practically in any scientific field.
What is glass?As in earlier times, it is made from sand.The fact that the sand is composed largely of silicon dioxide existing therein in quartz crystals.It is heated and melted.If it is cooled rapidly, the minerals do not have time to form crystals, which makes them transparent.If you want the product has been colored, it adds a variety of metal oxides.What makes glass that it is as transparent as possible?To do this, clean sand so that he was almost out of quartz.
Today there are many ways of processing, after which the product is obtained with different properties of reinforced and toughened up armored and mirror.What makes the glass today?The base remained the same - a simple sand.And it is encouraging that the fact of what makes the glass on the planet Earth - a huge number, and we are not in danger of extinction of this natural resource in time.
