Multiple choice general knowledge

When glass breaks, the cracks move at speeds of up to _________.

  1. 3,000 mph

  2. 300 mph

  3. 30,000 mph

  4. 30 mph

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

When glass breaks, the cracks propagate at extremely high speeds due to the rapid release of stored elastic energy. Scientific studies have measured crack speeds in glass reaching approximately 3,000 mph (about 1,300 m/s), which is near the theoretical maximum speed for crack propagation in brittle materials. This phenomenon occurs because glass is an amorphous solid that fractures catastrophically when its elastic limit is exceeded.