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According to Wikipedia:

  • A glass is any "solid that possesses a non-crystalline (that is, amorphous) structure at the atomic scale and that exhibits a glass transition when heated towards the liquid state".

  • A glass transition is "the reversible transition in amorphous materials (or in amorphous regions within semicrystalline materials) from a hard and relatively brittle 'glassy' state into a viscous or rubbery state as the temperature is increased."

It seems like most familiar non-crystalline solids (e.g. household plastics, cheese) become more ductile and less brittle when heated. Does this mean these are all considered glasses? What is an example of an amorphous solid that is not a glass?

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  • $\begingroup$ Plastics often are partially crystalline. BTW I think I don't wanna imagine "ductile" cheese. And no it isn't a glass, even not exactly a solid. $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented Apr 18, 2022 at 12:44

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Plastics are made if polymers, which are chains of molecules, therefore i don't think we can call it a glass even though some of them are amorphous, because they are ordered at the atomic scale.

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    $\begingroup$ Polymers are generally speaking either semicrystalline with glassy amorphous regions or completely amorphous below their glass transition temerature. So yes, it is completely normal to call them glasses. $\endgroup$
    – Sanya
    Commented Oct 31, 2016 at 11:01
  • $\begingroup$ Yes you convinced me, you are absolutely right. $\endgroup$
    – dyulf_rikk
    Commented Nov 3, 2016 at 15:57

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