Saturday Morning Physics | The Many Facets of Glass

Professor John Kieffer, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (U-M)

Glass has been used for many applications, ranging from arrow heads to optical fibers, and as much as humans have shaped glass to serve these purposes, glass has shaped humanity. However, there remains so much mystery about the amorphous state of matter. Glass is not considered a stable form of matter and yet, it is durable and lasts for millennia.

This presentation provides an overview of what makes glass so unique as a material, the historical role it has played in advancing culture and technology based on its physical properties, and the knowledge we have to date as to what causes glass formation.