Question

You have seen that an ordinary glass tumbler can crack if very hot or very cold water is poured into it.You have two glass tumblers made of ordinary glass−one with thick walls and the other with very thin walls. Which one is more likely ot crack when very hot or very cold water is poured into them?

Answer 1

A thick walled tumbler will crack more easily than a thin walled tumbler when extremely hot or cold water is poured into them.This is because in a thick walled glass, it's outer wall will be less affected by the extreme temperature as compared to its inner wall. The inner wall will expand or contract easily, while the outer wall will remain unaffected causing the glass to break. But in a thin glass, both the inner and the outer will wall react to the high or low temperature and expand or contract almost at the same time. Hence, it is less likely to crack.