NCIDQ Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX) Practice Exam

Tempered glass is specifically designed to enhance safety in environments where there is a risk of human impact. This type of glass undergoes a process of extreme heating and rapid cooling, which increases its strength compared to standard glass. When broken, tempered glass shatters into small, blunt pieces rather than sharp shards, significantly reducing the likelihood of serious injury.

In various applications, from commercial buildings to residential spaces, the use of tempered glass helps to meet safety standards, particularly in areas where glass is more exposed to potential breakage, such as doors, side lights, and certain partitions.

While other options like wire glass and plastic safety glass offer some degree of safety, tempered glass is widely preferred due to its strength and the nature of its breakage. Wire glass, for instance, can still break into large shards that could pose dangers, and while plastic safety glass is less likely to shatter, it often lacks the clarity and optical quality that tempered glass provides. Fiberglass glass is another option but is generally used in different contexts primarily for its insulation properties rather than for direct human impact safety.

Thus, tempered glass stands out as the most effective choice for ensuring safety in locations where human impact could be a hazard.