Page 45 - How It Works - Book of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, 12
P. 45
Science* __________________ Q�
Can glass be made from lightning hitting sand?
T his is indeed possible as glass and sand back to their nice orderly arrangement so glass or not. Meteorite impacts have also
are both made from the same chemical, they form the substance we know as glass. been known to release a large enough
silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide has an When lightning occurs, the strike point can amount of energy to convert sand into glass.
extremely high melting point, so first the reach temperatures of up to 30,000°C, which Due to the unpredictable nature of lightning
sand has to be heated past this for it to is much hotter than the surface of the Sun. strikes and given that they can be highly
become a liquid. In sand the silicon and Providing the sand is of the right kind then it dangerous, it might be a risky business
oxygen atoms are arranged in a very orderly is possible that glass will form. Fulgurite is the opportunity in more than just the financial
way. When the sand is heated to very high term given to what is left over, which is a sense. On average there can be more than
temperatures, this arrangement breaks down hollow glass tube and can sometimes 100 lightning strikes happening every second
and the position of the atoms becomes penetrate up to 15 metres below the surface across the globe, but the chances of these
disorderly and random. If the sand is cooled of the sand. being over the right type of sand at exactly
quick enough then the atoms of oxygen and The type of sand the lightning strikes is a the right moment are very low, so don't get
silicone don't have enough time to revert major factor as to whether it will turn into your hopes up!
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WorldMags.net How It T%rks 45
