Daily Quiz: What state is glass? Solid Liquid or Gas?

Question

Ah well, some good points people showed.
I'll leave it to the voters to sort it out

Answer 1

You're kidding, right?

Take a look at the definitions of the three states; you will find that glass does not fit the definition for liquid or gas. What does that tell you.

Good grief, I just did someone's homework.

Answer 2

Well so far everyone is wrong,,, The thicker glass at the bottom on old churches is because of how it is made. Not flow. And glass isnt a supercooled liquid. Glasses hover the line between crystalized solids and supercooled liquids.
crystalline solids: molecules are ordered in a regular lattice
fluids: molecules are disordered and are not rigidly bound.
glasses: molecules are disordered but are rigidly bound.

There is no heat of fusion but there is a change of state from liquid. It's kinda the same situation with rubber and butter.

A liquid has viscosity, a measure of its resistance to flow. The viscosity of water at room temperature is about 0.01 poises. A thick oil might have a viscosity of about 1.0 poise. As a liquid is cooled its viscosity normally increases, but viscosity also has a tendency to prevent crystallisation. Usually when a liquid is cooled to below its melting point, crystals form and it solidifies; but sometimes it can become supercooled and remain liquid below its melting point because there are no nucleation sites to initiate the crystallisation. If the viscosity rises enough as it is cooled further, it may never crystallise. The viscosity rises rapidly and continuously, forming a thick syrup and eventually an amorphous solid. The molecules then have a disordered arrangement, but sufficient cohesion to maintain some rigidity. In this state it is often called an amorphous solid or glass.

Answer 3

some forms of glass are crystalline, others are amorphous, some will argue that amorphous glass have liquid-like characteristics... yet back to the definition of a sturdy... glass is a sturdy! each and every element has a melting factor (each and every thing!) SO at extreme sufficient heats, glass will soften, which might make it a liquid as long as that's heated sufficient... Im not sure of the certainly melting factor, yet i understand in ceramic's kilns (prevalent of approximately 2300 degress C) glass will soften and return to a sturdy while it cools. You have been striking approximately it no longer being a gas =)

Answer 4

Glass is actually a liquid. For a true solid the atoms must be arranged in a crystal lattice. They are not in glass. Therefore glass in actually a liquid.

Answer 5

Glass is in a state of liquid.

Answer 6

Glass, while patently solid, has characteristics of a fluid. Glass left in a vertical position for prolonged periods, (We ARE talking decades, you realize) will "flow", and be thicker at the lower edge than the upper. (Break out your micrometer calipers) Glass left in an unsupported horizontal position will gradually deflect downward, hence the dipping in the center of panes left in that orientation, and te larger the unsupported area, the faster and greater the deflection.

Answer 7

Glass is a very viscous liquid. It is not a crystal. No state change occurs as it cools.

Nevermind. Joe4d has it right:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070809130014.htm

Answer 8

Glass is actually a supercooled liquid. If you look at very old windows, it is possible to see how the glass has sagged over the centuries.

Answer 9

definately solid because it is not able to be in a form like water or in a form like CO2.

Answer 10

solid!!!