Deykun@kbin.social to Science Memes@mander.xyz · 3 months ago⌛⌛media.kbin.socialimagemessage-square26fedilinkarrow-up11.39Karrow-down119
arrow-up11.38Karrow-down1image⌛⌛media.kbin.socialDeykun@kbin.social to Science Memes@mander.xyz · 3 months agomessage-square26fedilink
minus-squareneptune@dmv.sociallinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up94·3 months agoIt’s the cooling of silica (really, any material) that makes it a glass, and even then, transparency in the visual wavelength is not automatically certain.
minus-squareneptune@dmv.sociallinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up60·3 months agoGood example. Obsidian is apparently 70% silica. Iron is apparently what makes it black in color. If it’s thin enough, it is translucent. If you cool pure silica slowly enough, with impurities to cause seeding, you will get tons of crystals, not a single glass, that won’t be transparent.
It’s the cooling of silica (really, any material) that makes it a glass, and even then, transparency in the visual wavelength is not automatically certain.
Case in point, obsidian.
Good example. Obsidian is apparently 70% silica. Iron is apparently what makes it black in color. If it’s thin enough, it is translucent.
If you cool pure silica slowly enough, with impurities to cause seeding, you will get tons of crystals, not a single glass, that won’t be transparent.