1 Hold up a glass to the light. 2 If the glass acts as a prism and you see a rainbow you are holding crystal. 3 If not, it is just plain glass. 4 When struck, crystal produces a musical ring. 5 Glass does not.
Crystal. When most people talk about bringing out the crystal, they are often referring to a type of glass that is made from silica, lead oxide, soda or potash, and other additives. Lead crystal is prized for its durability and decorative properties, even if it does not necessarily possess a crystalline structure. How to Tell Crystal From Glass. Here are some quick tips on how to distinguish classic crystal from plain glass. 1  Hold up a glass to the light. 2  If the glass acts as a prism and you see a rainbow you are holding crystal. 3  If not, it is just plain glass. 4  When struck, crystal produces a musical ring. 5  Glass does not. 1 When struck, crystal produces a musical ring. 2  Glass does not. 3  If you wet your finger and run it around the rim of a crystal glass it will also produce a musical tone. 4  Crystal can be worked thinner than glass, so if the rim of a piece is exceptionally thin it's probably crystal. Here are some quick tips on how to distinguish classic crystal from plain glass. 1  Hold up a glass to the light. 2  If the glass acts as a prism and you see a rainbow you are holding crystal. 3  If not, it is just plain glass. 4  When struck, crystal produces a musical ring. 5  Glass does not. Music and Rainbows. Real crystal refracts and disperses light, casting hues to create a rainbow effect. If you hold standard glass up to light, it does not react the same way. Crystal is heavier than glass, but may be thinner around the rim. The essential difference between crystal and glass is that crystal contains lead. According to universally accepted specifications established by the European Union in 1969, crystal must have a lead content in excess of 24 percent as well as a density more than 2.90, and a reflective index of 1.545. Crystal is a form of glass, but not all glass is crystal. The drink ware in your cupboard are most likely glass, or even more elaborate cut glass -- they’re strong, can survive many washings in the dishwasher and probably won’t chip if knocked over -- but they are not crystal.
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how to tell if something is crystal or just glass