BEHAVIOR
Windshields block debris and water from the interior of the car while
allowing the visibility needed for safe driving.
HABITAT
Windshields occupy the space between roof and hood on the front of
the car and between the roof and trunk along the rear.
HOW IT WORKS
Windshields are a sandwich of polyvinyl butyrate (PVB) between two layers of glass. The PVB holds the two layers of glass together without distorting or limiting the optical qualities. This laminate makes the windshield almost shatterproof, so if it’s damaged it won’t launch shards of glass into people. The windshield is glued into the window frame. On motorcycles, the windshield is often made of acrylic plastic instead of glass.
Windshield glass transmits nearly all visible light and most infrared light while reflecting most ultraviolet light. Thus, you can see out (and in, unless the windows are tinted) and the car heats up when left in the sun. However, you won’t get a sunburn (which is caused by ultraviolet rays) from sunlight passing through the windshield.
INTERESTING FACTS
In the United States about 13 million windshields are replaced each year.
All rights reserved
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN: 978-1-55652-812-5
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sobey, Edwin J. C., 1948–
A field guide to automotive technology / Ed Sobey.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-55652-812-5
1. Automobiles—Popular works. 2. Mechanics—Popular works. I. Title.
TL146.5.S63 2008
629.2—dc22
2008046620
