The primary component of glass is silica, or silicon dioxide (SiO2). Silica is commonly derived from sand and serves as the fundamental building block of glass. During the glass-making process, silica is heated to a high temperature until it melts, along with other materials such as soda (sodium carbonate) and lime (calcium oxide). This mixture is then cooled to form a solid, transparent material known as glass. The proportions and additional ingredients can be altered to produce various types of glass with specific properties, such as strength, clarity, and UV resistance.