Strength of glass

typically has a tensile strength of. However, the theoretical upper bound on its strength is orders of magnitude higher:. This high value is due to the strong chemical Si–O bonds of silicon dioxide. Imperfections of the glass, such as bubbles, and in particular surface flaws, such as scratches, have a great effect on the strength of glass and decrease it even more than for other brittle materials. The chemical composition of the glass also impacts its tensile strength. The processes of thermal and chemical toughening can increase the tensile strength of glass.
Glass has a compressive strength of.

Strength of glass fiber

have a much higher tensile strength than regular glass. This is due to the reduction of flaws in glass fibers and the small cross sectional area of glass fibers, constraining maximum defect size.

's strength depends on the type. S-glass has a strength of while E-glass and C-glass have a strength of.

Glass has a hardness of 6.5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.