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Brains On! Science podcast for kids

How is glass made?

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

Lemonada Media

Kids & Family, Education For Kids

4.514.7K Ratings

🗓️ 11 August 2016

⏱️ 14 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The process that turns sand into glass is very cool – or rather, we should say very hot. Very, very, very hot as it turns out. Humans have been turning minerals from the earth’s crust into glass for 3,500 years. Find out how it’s done and how it’s evolved – from blowing glass by hand to a factory that makes hundreds of glass bottles every minute. Plus: The mystery sound! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Your listening to Brain Zan from MPR News and Southern California Public Radio,

0:11.0

we're serious about being curious. I'm Molly Bloom.

0:15.0

Glass is pretty amazing stuff. It's transparent and strong, beautiful and breakable,

0:21.0

it can be used to make windows, bottles, screen, flens, cup, speakers, aquariums,

0:25.0

and marble beads. It's even making this music.

0:34.0

That's a glass armonica, an instrument invented by Ben Franklin.

0:38.0

It uses rotating glass bowls and water to make music.

0:42.0

Since glass is such a big part of our lives,

0:45.0

it makes sense that lots of you have written in with questions about it.

0:48.0

Seven-year-old Audrey from Courtland, Nebraska asks what a lot of you want to know.

0:52.0

My question is, how do they make glass?

0:56.0

The first thing I can tell you about how glass is made, it is hot, really hot.

1:02.0

I'm a heat person, so I like the heat. No, the heat isn't as fun.

1:06.0

Brea and her sister, Bryn, know all about the heat.

1:09.0

Brea is into it, and Bryn, not so much.

1:12.0

Their friend Eliza agrees.

1:14.0

You just get really tired and sweaty and gross, really fast.

1:19.0

The glass is surprisingly heavy, but once you get used to it, it's not that heavy.

1:24.0

I met the three girls at Fosai Minnesota Center for Glass Arts.

1:27.0

They were learning how to make glass and how to shape it into things like cups and sculptures.

1:32.0

When I met them, they were making paper weights.

1:35.0

But why was it so stinking hot in there?

...

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