Glass

These materials at high temperature (i.e. molten viscous state) fuse together; then they are cooled rapidly forming a rigid structure, however not having enough time to form a crystalline regular structure. Depending on the final use and application the composition of the glass and cooling rate will vary to achieve the adequate properties for the specific application. These are the main characteristics of glass: - Solid and hard material - Disordered and amorphous structure - Fragile and easily breakable into sharp pieces - Transparent to visible light - Inert and biologically inactive material. - Glass is 100% recyclable and one of the safest packaging materials due to its composition and properties Glass is used for architecture application, illumination, electrical transmission, instruments for scientific research, optical instruments, domestic tools and even textiles. Glass does not deteriorate, corrode, stain or fade and therefore is one of the safest packaging materials. These properties can be modified and changed by adding other compounds or heat treatment.
 * Glass ** is a hard material normally fragile and transparent common in our daily life. It is composed mainly of sand (silicates, SiO2) and an alkali.
 * Main properties of glass**

Glass is a material which has had a special role in the history of architecture. Glass may be used in all types of buildings. It is normally used for windows, doors and also in walls. The use of glass in buildings makes spaces look bigger and a lot clearer. Glass provides a great design solution, but glass is not always used the right way, not in Caracas at least, because this city has a warm climate most of the year, so the structures made entirely of glass, it do not respond to the needs of the environment. The main problem when using glass in such climate, it’s the fact that when the sun falls upon the glass it creates a lot of energy costs, since the buildings need to be artificially ventilated all the time, like the “Cubo Negro”. So the use of glass is subjected to a lot of variables like the weather, the use, placement, among others, and not only the aesthetic purpose. For all this, it is an obligation of the architect to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of a material like glass in a specific place.
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