Glass is a non-crystalline solid that is often transparent, brittle, and chemically inert. It is made from natural and abundant raw materials such as sand, soda ash, and limestone that are melted at high temperatures to form a new material: glass. The sand used to make glass is mostly made of silicon dioxide, which is also known as silica. When the sand is heated to approximately 1700°C (3090°F), it melts and loses its crystalline structure, and as it cools, it gains an entirely different structure that is somewhere in between a liquid and a solid. This in-between state is known as an amorphous solid, which means it has some of the properties of a liquid and some of the properties of a solid. The resulting glass is an unlimited and innovative material that has plenty of applications, including packaging, tableware, buildings, construction and infrastructure, interior design and furniture, electric and electronics, automotive and transport, medical technology, and radiation protection.