Want to know the difference between a water and a wine goblet? A water goblet usually has a wider mouth and a deeper bowl. Its glass also tends to be thicker than the average wine goblet.
One reason that folklore says that glass continues to flow even after hardening comes from the fact that glass has two distinct, albeit conflicting, characteristics: it has the physical properties of a solid but the atomic structure of a liquid.
Modern glass-making has its beginnings in the work of Fra Antonio Neri, an alchemist of the early Renaissance. He published the first text dedicated to the study of glass-making and its scientific applications.
Even if your glassware is damaged beyond use, don't throw it in the trash. Glass, especially clear, is one of the easiest materials to recycle, and can be endlessly reprocessed without losing any of its properties or qualities.
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Hand painted glassware requires special precautions during cleaning. Some cleaning chemicals can react negatively with the paint, causing it to fade or peel, or cause the glass itself to appear cloudy.
FYI: Glass can be recycled endlessly into innumerable shapes and for infinite purposes. It takes almost thirty per cent less energy to recycle glass than to manufacture new glass.
The lead in lead crystal will not affect you when you drink from it because it combines with the glass material in a way that renders it harmless. However, if you leave red wine in lead crystal overnight, the wine will stain the glass and require extra effort to clean.
Did you know that glass is not a true solid? Unlike true solids, where the molecules are ordered in a regular lattice, or fluids where the molecules are disordered and not rigidly bound, the molecules in glass are disordered but are rigidly bound.
Just as fine wines and elegant cocktails all have their de facto glasses designed for greater enjoyment of their distinctive characteristics, so too does beer have its array of vessels that enhance the profiles of its myriad styles.
The design of the champagne glass, the flute, is such so that it keeps the beverage from going flat after pouring. While other shapes may be used, for the greatest enjoyment choose the flute.
Did you know that naturally occurring glass was once used as a form of money? Obsidian was highly prized for making arrowheads, axes, and other cutting tools and was commonly used as a method of exchange or barter.
The height and circumference of a wine glass rim are designed to direct the wine to the proper areas of the mouth. Tall and narrow directs the wine further into the mouth and onto the tongue, while shorter and wider places the wine more towards the tip of the tongue, and brings the nose into play.
Here's something we should always keep in mind: "Fortune is like glass - the brighter the glitter, the more easily broken." - Publilius Syrus
What is the melting point of glass? Although the melting point varies based on the chemical composition of the glass, most glasses completely liquify around 2,600°F to 2,800°F.
Just as fine wines and elegant cocktails all have their de facto glasses designed for their greater enjoyment, so too does beer have its array of vessels that enhance the profiles of its many styles.
Cut flowers come and go, but elegant glassware is a joy forever. When choosing a vase, selecting one that is just as pretty without flowers as it is while holding them means it will always have a place at the table (or on the mantle).
At what temperature does glass melt? Glass can be manufactured with a number of additives to meet specific purposes. Because of this, it's difficult to pinpoint an exact melting temperature. However, glass melts and begins to flow between 1100°F and 1400°F.