Historically, the most common form of glass, soda-lime glass (sometimes called soft glass contains three major compounds in varying proportions; usually the makeup is silica (60 to 75 percent), soda (12 to 18 percent), and lime (5 to 12 percent). Soda-lime glass is relatively light; when heated, it remains workable over a wide range of temperatures, so it's useful for elaborate glassworking designs and techniques. In contrast, see borosilicate or hard glass.
Historically, the most common form of glass, soda-lime glass (sometimes called soft glass contains three major compounds in varying proportions; usually the makeup is silica (60 to 75 percent), soda (12 to 18 percent), and lime (5 to 12 percent). Soda-lime glass is relatively light; when heated, it remains workable over a wide range of temperatures, so it's useful for elaborate glassworking designs and techniques. In contrast, see borosilicate or hard glass.