Prince Rupert's Drops

Prince Rupert’s Drops are formed when molten glass is dripped into cold water. The glass forms a tadpole-shaped droplet with a long, thin tail, and when the inside cools, it contracts, pressing against the already-solid outer part. Due to the residual stress, the extremely hard bulbous part can withstand a blow from a hammer, but if the tail is damaged even slightly, the entire drop shatters explosively into a fine powder. Prince Rupert did not invent the drops, so why are they named for him? Discuss

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