Which type of glass is typically the strongest?

Tempered glass is recognized as the strongest type of glass due to the way it is manufactured. The tempering process involves heating the glass to a high temperature and then cooling it rapidly, which causes the surface of the glass to be under compression while the interior is under tension. This process significantly increases the strength and thermal resistance of the glass, making it much tougher than other types of glass.

One of the key advantages of tempered glass is its performance under impact; it can withstand substantial force and is less likely to break compared to lesser-strength glass types. If it does break, tempered glass shatters into small, blunt pieces that are less likely to cause injury, enhancing safety.

The other types of glass mentioned do not have the same level of strength or safety features. Float glass is standard glass with no special strength characteristics, heat-strengthened glass is stronger than annealed glass but not as robust as tempered glass, and annealed glass is the least strong, often used in applications where safety is not a primary concern. Thus, the unique manufacturing process of tempered glass is what establishes it as the strongest options available, making it the ideal choice in many architectural and safety applications.