A relative of mine recently came to me asking me to explain a strange physics phenomenon. She had 3 glass tables; 2 small and one large arranged neatly such that the small tables were half enclosed under the larger one. She recounted to me that one morning she was sitting in a room adjacent to the one with the tables (but one which allowed her a full view of the tables) with nobody else in the house at the time, when all of a sudden and without any prior indication, one of the smaller glass tables exploded. Not simply shattered, but exploded with a loud pop or bang, sending pieces across the room (thankfully no one was nearby to get hit by flying glass shards).
Now, as a physics enthusiast, I was quite intrigued by this situation. I had a few ideas how this happened off the top of my head, but this is something I’ve definitely never seen before. She had this table for at least 4 years before it shattered, but I don’t think she’s had it more than 10. As you can see from the pictures, the light is shining through the window onto the tables, but judging by the sharpness of the shadows, I’d say it wasn’t particularly warm light (likely a partly cloudy day).
As someone who is familiar with thermal stresses causing glass to fracture or break, I was puzzled by this phenomenon. There were apparently no prior indications of problems, the glass did a bit more than simply fracture or break apart, and I am unsure if the environmental conditions were enough to cause that kind of thermal variation.
I did some research and discovered that spontaneous glass breakage is actually a phenomenon that is not that uncommon. You can check out the wikipedia page for Spontaneous glass breakage for more information. However, that was a bit insufficient an explanation for me, so I decided to dig a little deeper.
What Causes the Glass Table to Spontaneously Explode?
After doing some more research and reading through the comments, it appears that safety glass is most likely the culprit in this situation. Safety glass has higher internal pre-stresses and can explode when those stresses get too high. There can be multiple causes of these stresses, however, and an ideal answer should explain the most likely 2.
One possible cause of spontaneous glass breakage is a manufacturing defect in the glass. During the manufacturing process, there may be minute air bubbles or other impurities trapped inside the glass, causing more internal stress. Another cause could be improper installation of the glass or structural damage to the glass itself, causing it to be inadequately supported and succumb to the stresses it was subjected to over time.
Another cause could be a variation in temperature, which can lead to thermal stresses that cause the glass to break. Thermal stresses occur when parts of an object, in this case, the glass, undergo temperature changes at different rates. When this happens, parts of the object undergo size changes, resulting in internal stresses. If there is more stress than the glass can withstand, it will break, and potentially explode, into tiny pieces.
In this particular case, it is difficult to determine exactly what caused the glass to spontaneously explode, but it is likely that a combination of these factors contributed to the final outcome.
Why Did it Cast Projectile Debris So Far?
Rather than simple fracturing or shattering, you might wonder why this cast projectile debris so far. What kind of internal pressure must have built up?
The reason the glass exploded with such force is due to the internal stress built up over time. Safety glass, like the one being used, is designed to break into tiny pieces to avoid potential injuries. However, the stress buildup inside this glass table was too significant to contain, causing the table to explode with considerable force.
It is always important to follow proper installation and maintenance procedures when dealing with glass tables. Any signs of damage or wear and tear should be addressed immediately to prevent potential hazards from occurring. If you have any doubts, it is best to consult with a professional to ensure the safety of your glass furniture.
Conclusion
Spontaneous glass breakage is a phenomenon that can happen to anyone, even when we least expect it. While it can be difficult to determine exactly what caused a glass table to spontaneously break, there are certain factors that we should be aware of if we want to prevent this from happening in the future. One of the most important things we can do is to make sure that we follow proper installation and maintenance procedures and keep an eye out for any signs of damage or defects in our glass furniture. By doing so, we can ensure that our glass tables remain safe and intact for many years to come.
How And Why Would a Glass Table Break In This Manner?
A relative of mine recently came to me asking me to explain a strange physics phenomenon. She had 3 glass tables; 2 small and one large arranged neatly such that the small tables were half enclosed under the larger one. She recounted to me that one morning she was sitting in a room adjacent to the one with the tables (but one which allowed her a full view of the tables) with nobody else in the house at the time, when all of a sudden and without any prior indication, one of the smaller glass tables exploded. Not simply shattered, but exploded with a loud pop or bang, sending pieces across the room (thankfully no one was nearby to get hit by flying glass shards).
Now, as a physics enthusiast, I was quite intrigued by this situation. I had a few ideas how this happened off the top of my head, but this is something I’ve definitely never seen before. She had this table for at least 4 years before it shattered, but I don’t think she’s had it more than 10. As you can see from the pictures, the light is shining through the window onto the tables, but judging by the sharpness of the shadows, I’d say it wasn’t particularly warm light (likely a partly cloudy day).
Image source: i.imgur.com
As someone who is familiar with thermal stresses causing glass to fracture or break, I was puzzled by this phenomenon. There were apparently no prior indications of problems, the glass did a bit more than simply fracture or break apart, and I am unsure if the environmental conditions were enough to cause that kind of thermal variation.
I did some research and discovered that spontaneous glass breakage is actually a phenomenon that is not that uncommon. You can check out the wikipedia page for Spontaneous glass breakage for more information. However, that was a bit insufficient an explanation for me, so I decided to dig a little deeper.
What Causes the Glass Table to Spontaneously Explode?
After doing some more research and reading through the comments, it appears that safety glass is most likely the culprit in this situation. Safety glass has higher internal pre-stresses and can explode when those stresses get too high. There can be multiple causes of these stresses, however, and an ideal answer should explain the most likely 2.
One possible cause of spontaneous glass breakage is a manufacturing defect in the glass. During the manufacturing process, there may be minute air bubbles or other impurities trapped inside the glass, causing more internal stress. Another cause could be improper installation of the glass or structural damage to the glass itself, causing it to be inadequately supported and succumb to the stresses it was subjected to over time.
Another cause could be a variation in temperature, which can lead to thermal stresses that cause the glass to break. Thermal stresses occur when parts of an object, in this case, the glass, undergo temperature changes at different rates. When this happens, parts of the object undergo size changes, resulting in internal stresses. If there is more stress than the glass can withstand, it will break, and potentially explode, into tiny pieces.
In this particular case, it is difficult to determine exactly what caused the glass to spontaneously explode, but it is likely that a combination of these factors contributed to the final outcome.
Why Did it Cast Projectile Debris So Far?
Rather than simple fracturing or shattering, you might wonder why this cast projectile debris so far. What kind of internal pressure must have built up?
The reason the glass exploded with such force is due to the internal stress built up over time. Safety glass, like the one being used, is designed to break into tiny pieces to avoid potential injuries. However, the stress buildup inside this glass table was too significant to contain, causing the table to explode with considerable force.
It is always important to follow proper installation and maintenance procedures when dealing with glass tables. Any signs of damage or wear and tear should be addressed immediately to prevent potential hazards from occurring. If you have any doubts, it is best to consult with a professional to ensure the safety of your glass furniture.
Conclusion
Spontaneous glass breakage is a phenomenon that can happen to anyone, even when we least expect it. While it can be difficult to determine exactly what caused a glass table to spontaneously break, there are certain factors that we should be aware of if we want to prevent this from happening in the future. One of the most important things we can do is to make sure that we follow proper installation and maintenance procedures and keep an eye out for any signs of damage or defects in our glass furniture. By doing so, we can ensure that our glass tables remain safe and intact for many years to come.