ABSTRACT
Standard glass can shatter into dangerous shards, whereas stronger, tempered glass, if subjected to enough destructive force, will disintegrate into small pieces that are less hazardous. Ensure glass is tempered to prevent it from shattering into dangerous shards that could cause injury. Automobile side and rear windows are usually tempered for the reasons. Their safety results from their ability to shatter into less dangerous pieces, as well as the ease with which they can be intentionally shattered with a center punch tool to enable escape from a wreck. Tempered glass can be created from annealed glass through a process of controlled thermal treatments that strengthen it. The process of tempering glass results in strong glass that crumbles into small granular chunks, which are less likely to cause injury than annealed glass shards. Laminated glass will crack under pressure, but remain intact as the multiple vinyl layers hold its pieces in place and minimize the risk of cuts.
