Quote:
Originally Posted by Pearl Trade
How long does it take glass to break down? Like, if I left a 16 ounce clear glass cup outside, how long would it take to break down to non-glass form?
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Glass made in the last few hundred years is very stable and won't break down like ancient glass will, but even then consider that there are obsidian deposits billions of years old on earth. Over time, alkali ions from soda ash used in glass production will leach out and be replaced with hydrogen, but it still keeps its shape and all it means is that archaeologists of the future will have to handle and store it carefully.