Üveg

Üveg is a non-crystalline, amorphous solid primarily composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is produced by melting silica-rich raw materials with fluxes such as soda ash and limestone and then cooling the melt rapidly to suppress crystallization. The most common form is soda-lime glass, but other formulations include borosilicate, lead glass, and aluminosilicate varieties for specialty applications.

Industrial glass is manufactured in high-temperature furnaces, typically around 1,400–1,600°C. Flat glass for windows and facades is often produced by the float glass process, where molten glass is floated on a bath of molten tin to form a uniform sheet. Containers and tableware are shaped by blowing, pressing, or molding, followed by annealing to relieve internal stresses. After forming, glass can be tempered for strength or laminated for safety and security. Advanced variants include chemically strengthened glass and specialized optical glasses.

Glass is typically transparent or translucent with high optical clarity when defect-free. It is hard and chemically resistant but brittle and sensitive to thermal shock. It can be colored with metal oxides or coated to alter properties such as UV or infrared transmission. Recycling is common, and standard soda-lime glass is widely recycled. Other varieties, such as borosilicate or lead glass, are used for laboratoryware, optics, or decorative purposes.

In Hungarian, the term üveg denotes the material glass as well as glassware and containers such as bottles; context distinguishes between the material and its products. Historical glassmaking originated in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean, with Roman innovations in glassblowing popularizing mass production. Modern methods, including the float process and safety glass, have expanded glass use across architecture, consumer goods, and technology.