If it does, how long does it take?
Sorry just curious :D
2007-10-01 03:19:42 · 3 answers · asked by Pat U 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It depends on the glass.
Glass contains silicon dioxide, which is wonderfully tough when pure. It also contains the results of using soda ash and limestone which are used to bring the melting temperature down from over 3000F to something near 1900F
These materials weaken the glass and allow it to be attacked by weak bases and related chemicals. One common problem is a clear glass vase in which water for flowers has been allowed to stand while the plants rot. This leaves an etched surface on the inside of the vase that is nearly impossible to remove. This can be only a few weeks.
Depending on the acidity and alkalinity of the soil, bottles left in the ground may be corroded and damaged so they are opaque or nearly so. Commonly this takes decades.
2007-10-04 07:22:00 · answer #1 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just crush it and it becomes sand (job well done). Since mechanical action is all that is necessary to degrade glass into a "natural" material, how long it takes just depends on how much jiggling, shaking, and bumping is going on. A bottle on the beach wouldn't last very long, while one carefully placed in a landfill might last hundreds of years.
2007-10-01 03:25:03 · answer #2 · answered by boogerhead9 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glass is silicon dioxide or quartz and the only acid that attacks glass is hydrofluoric acid (HF) .... however HF is also very toxic and reacts with bones. It is used in products for etching and frosting glass. The time taken depends on the strength of the acid used. Also, strong alkali can also discolour glass.
2007-10-01 03:35:13 · answer #3 · answered by tuffgirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋