Glass is a common part of everyday life: From windows to drinking glasses, to storage jars to aesthetically pleasing objects, in various art forms. Glass is simple, yet versatile; it can be molded and colored into thousands of different outcomes, dependent upon the use it is created for. Beautiful, yet functional, glass has an interesting history, and has been utilized for decades upon decades. The following is a brief overview of glass: The history, methods to make glass, the composition, and glass found only in nature.

History Briefing of Glass

Glass has a long history: It is said to be produced as far back as 1500 B.C. in Egypt. The Egyptians are rumored to have made the glass from scratch. Glass is also said to be an experiment of Phoenician sailors. The sand below a bonfire they created, was said to turn into glass!

Glass objects where also found in Mesopotamia, dating approximately 1550 BC. Glass was considered to be so precious during these early times, it was reputated to be compared to that of gold.

Two Methods of Glass Making

Two earlier common methods are called core forming and glass blowing:

Core-forming refers to a core that is produced from dung and clay. Molten glass is wrapped around the core, while the glass maker created the shape of the object. Then, the glass is rolled on a smooth surface, finishing the piece.

Glass blowing refers to the method where the glass-maker would blow through a hollow tube, creating intriguing, symmetrical figures out of the "gather" of molten glass situated at the end of the tube. Another method is blowing molten glass into a mold, creating a multitude of glass items.

Glass: Simpler than You Thought!

Glass is comprised mainly of sand (silica). Since iron is in sand, this causes the glass to sometimes have greenish tones and hues. Iron is a component used in bottle-glass.

Glass is a combination of sand, flint, spar, as well as some other siliceous substances, with a fixed alkali. if an alkali is used to create glass, soda is often a prevalent choice.Another possible glass-creation component is metallic oxide. White sand is the most sought after--it requires no preparation for coarse goods, as it is almost pure. A simple wash of the sand in water will produce glass of higher quality. Thus, the whiter the sand, the clearer and purer the glass!

Another alternative for a metallic oxide component is litharge (a preparation of lead).

How Glass is Made

In order to produce glass from sand, the furnace/heating mechanism must reach the temperature of approximately 3,600°F, or 1,982°C. It cannot be produced in your oven, that' s for sure!

Natural Glass

Obsidian is a natural glass that is found near volcanoes.

Moldavite is also another form of natural glass, a creation in the sea.