How Sand Turns Into Glass

SciShow Kids

Join Jessi and Squeaks the Robot Mouse in this engaging science lesson that uncovers the surprising origins of glass. The video explains how common beach sand is transformed through extreme heat into the clear, solid material we use every day. By using analogies like melting ice and performing a kid-friendly experiment with sugar, the host demonstrates how granular solids can turn into liquids and cool back down into smooth solids. The content covers fundamental chemistry and physics concepts including states of matter (solids and liquids), phase changes (melting and cooling), and the process of recycling. It simplifies the industrial manufacturing process of glass by comparing it to volcanic heat, making complex engineering concepts accessible to young learners. This video is an excellent resource for elementary science units on materials, properties of matter, or natural resources. Teachers can use the featured "edible glass" experiment as a hands-on classroom activity or a demonstration to reinforce the concept of how heat changes the physical properties of materials without changing what they are made of.