Impact on Windshield: What Happens When a Windshield is Punched with a Spring Loaded Center Punch?

What happens if a windshield is punched with a spring loaded center punch?

a. the windshield shatters into small pieces
b. the windshield cracks but remains intact
c. a small mark will appear
d. the windshield breaks into large, sharp pieces

Final answer:

When a windshield is punched with a spring loaded center punch, it would simply crack but remain intact thanks to the safety feature of the laminated glass it is made from. This prevents injuries from flying shards of glass.

Explanation:

When a windshield is punched with a spring loaded center punch, the outcome would be that the windshield cracks but remains intact (option b). When the punch is applied, it will cause a concentrated force at a specific point on the windshield. Given windshields are made of a type of safety glass known as laminated glass, instead of shattering into small or large pieces, they tend to crack but still hold together. This characteristic of the laminated glass is a safety feature designed to prevent injuries from shards of glass in case of impact.

The phenomenon can be compared to the situation when a person strikes a hammer against a hard surface, causing strong vibrations. Comparatively, the vibrations caused by using a spring loaded center punch can cause the glass to crack but will not cause it to shatter completely due to the interlayer bonding materials in the laminated glass.