The spelling of the word "tempered glasses" is fairly straightforward. The first syllable is pronounced as "tem-pered," with the stressed syllable being the second one. The final "-ed" is not pronounced as a separate syllable but rather as a suffix. The word "glasses" is pronounced as "glas-iz," with the "-es" being added because the word is plural. When combining the two words, it's important to remember that there's no "s" at the end of "tempered," so the word "tempered glasses" is pronounced as "tem-perd glas-iz."
Tempered glasses are a type of safety glass that undergoes a manufacturing process aimed at increasing its strength and durability. These glasses are produced by exposing annealed glass (ordinary glass) to a controlled heating and cooling process. The process involves heating the glass to a high temperature of approximately 600 to 700 degrees Celsius and rapidly cooling it with jets of cold air. This thermal treatment creates compressive stress on the glass surface, while the interior remains in a state of tensile stress.
The resulting tempered glass possesses several desirable characteristics, including increased strength and resistance to impact. Compared to ordinary glass, tempered glass is considerably more durable and less prone to breakage. When tempered glass does break, it shatters into small, pebble-like fragments with rounded edges instead of sharp shards, reducing the risk of injury.
The high strength of tempered glass makes it a popular choice in applications where safety is a primary concern. It is commonly used in automotive windows, shower enclosures, glass doors, glass railings, and table tops. Tempered glass is also utilized in the construction of buildings, specifically in windows and glass facades, as it can withstand higher wind loads and thermal stresses.
Overall, tempered glass serves as a robust and secure option in various situations, providing increased protection against breakage and minimizing potential harm.
The word "tempered" in the context of glass refers to a specific process used in its manufacturing. The term "temper" comes from the Latin word "temperare", which means "to mix in proper proportion". In this sense, it refers to treating the glass in a way that achieves a balance of strength and durability.
As for the word "glasses", it comes from the Old English word "glaes" or "glees", which ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic word "glasam". This term originally referred to any transparent or translucent substance.
Therefore, "tempered glasses" simply refers to glass that has undergone the tempering process to increase its strength and durability.