User:Danward
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It is a commonly held, but misconceived, view that glass flows to an appreciable extent over long periods of time. According to the flowing glass theory, glass is a highly viscous liquid comparable to pitch only even more viscous.
[edit] Possible reasons for the belief that glass flows
There appears to be two key explanations for the existence of the belief:
- The belief is linked to the urban legend that there are antique panes of glass that have become distorted over a matter of centuries (as discussed below).
- The unusual molecular structure of glass - glass is an amorphous solid - can cause confusion. Amorphous solids are sometimes explained as "supercooled liquids". However, this phrase does not imply that an amorphous solid has any of the material properties of a liquid. [1]
