Decorations with glass have been very common and show simplicity along with royalty. They can be moulded in different shapes like turtles, bowls, etc.
The two of the most used glassware are crystals and glass. They are used for decoration and also for making things more appealing. They are the basis of each other and crystal is a sub-group of glass.
Crystal vs Glass
The difference between Crystal and Glass is that they have a different compositions. Glass is made up of Silicon Dioxide or sand, Sodium Carbonate and limestone or Calcium Carbonate whereas Crystal contains materials like Carbonates, Dioxides and especially they contain lead which provides shine and delicate nature to the glass.
Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!
Crystal is a solid material in which atoms and molecules are compactly packed and they are arranged in a highly periodic form which is only available under the microscope.
Crystallography is the study of crystals and crystal formation. Crystal glassware is more famous for its delicacy and is usually taken out on special occasions.
Glass is very famous worldwide and is a large category and contains all types of pieces. The glass is made up of Calcium and Sodium Carbonate as well as Silicon Dioxide.
The mixing of various types of elements leads to the development of sub-categories. The glass is more strong and also has an unbreakable category.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Crystal | Glass |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | The crystal is made up of lead along with carbonated and dioxides. | The glass is only made up of sand, Sodium Carbonate and limestone. |
| Appearance | It is desirable for high-end glassware because it has incredible clarity. | The glass has a tint because of the component that was added like green with iron. Even without addition, it is still slightly foggy. |
| Weight Difference | It is comparatively heavier due to the addition of the lead. | It is comparatively easy to handle because of the lightweight |
| Thickness | The crystal can be shaped thinner because they can be heated at lower temperatures and that provides strength to stretch the glass. | The glass cools down quickly due to the presence of soda-lime and the rim is thicker which provided flexibility |
| Cut | The structure is more polished and buffed without shattering since it is more malleable and is crafted by hands. | The cuts are generally sharp and brittle because there is very little time or they are put into a mould. |
What is a crystal?
The crystal according to chemistry is anything that has a definite shape and the molecules and atoms are closely packed into a highly ordered or periodic structure.
This structure extends in all directions and forms a microscopic crystal lattice. They can be macroscopic as well and they can be identified by their structure by a single crystal.
Crystal glassware is very famous because of the shapes that can be created by it because the work can be handcrafted. The crystal can be melted at low heat due to the presence of lead and potassium.
Due to this, they are more malleable and can be crafted into many shapes which are more polished and easy to handle.
Crystals have a thin shape and weigh more than glass due to the presence of lead. The lead and metal content of the material has the property to refract light which forms a rainbow after refracting making it a good material for high-end glassware.
The crystal also has the property of making ringing sounds which make it distinguishable.
The crystal has some disadvantages like they are more expensive and they are not desirable for places where thicker glass or an unbreakable glass is required. They also are not worth places where opacity or translucency is required.
What is glass?
The most durable and the oldest form of glass available in the market are silicate glasses. The glasses have a composition that includes Silicon Dioxide, Calcium Carbonate and Sodium Carbonate with variations in the different types.
They have a slight tint because of this and they are also used at different places with the tint provided by different elements like blue from iron.
Glass is also known to have sharp cuts because if its property that it cools down very fast and has to be heated to high temperatures and high pressure because they contain a soda-lime mixture.
The glass after heating cannot be touched by hands with gloves so they are usually put in moulds for shaping and have brittle edges.
The glass is less malleable and breaks easily. It is also thicker and is stronger when used for tabletops, glasses, etc.
They usually produce a dull chime when rung that is more subtle and peaceful, the quality of glass to pass light through it gives it unique importance in homes especially the window panes. Durability is one of the features that make them easy to use daily.
The glass has disadvantages like it is more sharp and brittle and needs proper moulds. They cannot be used for making delicate pieces that are more handcrafted and also they can be scratched easily and the cutting is also costly.
Main Differences Between Crystal and Glass
- The crystal is made up of lead along with carbonated and dioxides whereas the glass does not contain lead as a major component.
- The crystal is desirable for high-end glassware because it has incredible clarity. In comparison to this, the glass has a tint because of the component that was added like green with iron. Even without addition, it is still slightly foggy.
- The crystal is comparatively heavier due to the addition of the lead whereas the glass is comparatively easy to handle because it is lightweight.
- The crystal can be shaped thinner because they can be heated at lower temperatures and that provides strength to stretch the glass whereas the glass cools down quickly due to the presence of soda-lime and the rim is thicker which provided flexibility.
- The structure of the crystal is more polished and buffed without shattering since it is more malleable and is crafted by hands whereas the cuts on the glass are generally sharp and brittle because there is very little time or they are put into a mould.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016703700003884
- https://www.osapublishing.org/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-10-25-1520
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
