Arkansas AR-GL Glazing
Contractor Practice Exam |
Questions, Verified Answers &
Detailed Rationales | Complete
Contractor License Exam Prep
Study Guide | Updated 2026
1. What is the primary purpose of a glazing system?
A. To increase the structural capacity of the building
B. To provide a weather-resistant enclosure using glass
and related framing components
C. To replace the building foundation
D. To eliminate the need for insulation
Correct Answer: To provide a weather-resistant
enclosure using glass and related framing components
Rationale: A glazing system primarily forms part of the
building envelope. It must properly accommodate glass,
framing, water management, air control, thermal
movement, and structural loads.
2. Which type of glass is generally considered safety
glazing?
A. Annealed glass
B. Tempered glass
C. Ordinary float glass
D. Clear sheet glass
Correct Answer: Tempered glass
Rationale: Tempered glass is heat-treated to increase
strength and to cause it to fracture into relatively small
granular pieces when broken. It is commonly used
where safety-glazing requirements apply.
,3. What is the main characteristic of laminated glass?
A. It cannot break
B. It is always stronger than tempered glass
C. A plastic interlayer helps hold broken glass together
D. It contains no glass
Correct Answer: A plastic interlayer helps hold broken
glass together
Rationale: Laminated glass consists of glass layers
bonded with an interlayer. When fractured, the
interlayer can retain many of the glass fragments and
provide enhanced safety and security characteristics.
4. What is annealed glass?
A. Glass that has been chemically hardened
B. Glass that has been cooled in a controlled manner
after forming
C. Glass containing a metal mesh
D. Glass that has been laminated
Correct Answer: Glass that has been cooled in a
controlled manner after forming
Rationale: Annealing relieves internal stresses in glass.
Ordinary float glass is generally annealed unless it has
subsequently undergone another treatment.
5. What happens when tempered glass breaks?
A. It normally forms long razor-like shards
B. It melts
C. It generally breaks into many small pieces
D. It becomes laminated
Correct Answer: It generally breaks into many small
pieces
Rationale: The thermal tempering process creates
internal stresses that cause tempered glass to fracture
,into relatively small particles rather than large sharp
shards.
6. What is Low-E glass designed primarily to do?
A. Eliminate all visible light
B. Reduce heat transfer through radiation
C. Increase glass thickness automatically
D. Prevent all glass breakage
Correct Answer: Reduce heat transfer through radiation
Rationale: Low-emissivity coatings reduce radiant heat
transfer and can improve the thermal performance of a
glazing assembly.
7. What does IGU stand for?
A. Interior Glass Unit
B. Insulated Glazing Utility
C. Insulating Glass Unit
D. Integrated Glass Underlay
Correct Answer: Insulating Glass Unit
Rationale: An IGU consists of two or more panes
separated by a spacer system and sealed to create an
insulating cavity, commonly filled with air or another
gas.
8. What is the primary function of the spacer in an
insulating glass unit?
A. Hold the building together
B. Separate the glass panes and contribute to the sealed
insulating cavity
C. Replace the sealant around the perimeter
D. Make the glass tempered
Correct Answer: Separate the glass panes and
contribute to the sealed insulating cavity
, Rationale: The spacer establishes the distance between
panes and forms part of the edge-seal system. Some
spacer systems also reduce thermal bridging.
9. What is a major cause of insulating glass unit failure?
A. Excessive visible light
B. Loss of edge seal integrity
C. Glass being transparent
D. Normal daylight
Correct Answer: Loss of edge seal integrity
Rationale: Failure of the IGU edge seal can allow
moisture to enter the cavity, resulting in condensation
between panes and reduced insulating performance.
10. What does U-factor measure?
A. Solar radiation only
B. Glass thickness
C. Heat transfer through a glazing assembly
D. Wind speed
Correct Answer: Heat transfer through a glazing
assembly
Rationale: U-factor represents the rate of heat transfer
through an assembly. Lower U-factor generally indicates
better insulating performance.
11. What does SHGC stand for?
A. Structural Heat Glass Capacity
B. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
C. Safety Heat Glass Classification
D. Solar Hardware Glazing Component
Correct Answer: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Rationale: SHGC indicates how much incident solar
radiation enters a building through a fenestration
product as heat.
Contractor Practice Exam |
Questions, Verified Answers &
Detailed Rationales | Complete
Contractor License Exam Prep
Study Guide | Updated 2026
1. What is the primary purpose of a glazing system?
A. To increase the structural capacity of the building
B. To provide a weather-resistant enclosure using glass
and related framing components
C. To replace the building foundation
D. To eliminate the need for insulation
Correct Answer: To provide a weather-resistant
enclosure using glass and related framing components
Rationale: A glazing system primarily forms part of the
building envelope. It must properly accommodate glass,
framing, water management, air control, thermal
movement, and structural loads.
2. Which type of glass is generally considered safety
glazing?
A. Annealed glass
B. Tempered glass
C. Ordinary float glass
D. Clear sheet glass
Correct Answer: Tempered glass
Rationale: Tempered glass is heat-treated to increase
strength and to cause it to fracture into relatively small
granular pieces when broken. It is commonly used
where safety-glazing requirements apply.
,3. What is the main characteristic of laminated glass?
A. It cannot break
B. It is always stronger than tempered glass
C. A plastic interlayer helps hold broken glass together
D. It contains no glass
Correct Answer: A plastic interlayer helps hold broken
glass together
Rationale: Laminated glass consists of glass layers
bonded with an interlayer. When fractured, the
interlayer can retain many of the glass fragments and
provide enhanced safety and security characteristics.
4. What is annealed glass?
A. Glass that has been chemically hardened
B. Glass that has been cooled in a controlled manner
after forming
C. Glass containing a metal mesh
D. Glass that has been laminated
Correct Answer: Glass that has been cooled in a
controlled manner after forming
Rationale: Annealing relieves internal stresses in glass.
Ordinary float glass is generally annealed unless it has
subsequently undergone another treatment.
5. What happens when tempered glass breaks?
A. It normally forms long razor-like shards
B. It melts
C. It generally breaks into many small pieces
D. It becomes laminated
Correct Answer: It generally breaks into many small
pieces
Rationale: The thermal tempering process creates
internal stresses that cause tempered glass to fracture
,into relatively small particles rather than large sharp
shards.
6. What is Low-E glass designed primarily to do?
A. Eliminate all visible light
B. Reduce heat transfer through radiation
C. Increase glass thickness automatically
D. Prevent all glass breakage
Correct Answer: Reduce heat transfer through radiation
Rationale: Low-emissivity coatings reduce radiant heat
transfer and can improve the thermal performance of a
glazing assembly.
7. What does IGU stand for?
A. Interior Glass Unit
B. Insulated Glazing Utility
C. Insulating Glass Unit
D. Integrated Glass Underlay
Correct Answer: Insulating Glass Unit
Rationale: An IGU consists of two or more panes
separated by a spacer system and sealed to create an
insulating cavity, commonly filled with air or another
gas.
8. What is the primary function of the spacer in an
insulating glass unit?
A. Hold the building together
B. Separate the glass panes and contribute to the sealed
insulating cavity
C. Replace the sealant around the perimeter
D. Make the glass tempered
Correct Answer: Separate the glass panes and
contribute to the sealed insulating cavity
, Rationale: The spacer establishes the distance between
panes and forms part of the edge-seal system. Some
spacer systems also reduce thermal bridging.
9. What is a major cause of insulating glass unit failure?
A. Excessive visible light
B. Loss of edge seal integrity
C. Glass being transparent
D. Normal daylight
Correct Answer: Loss of edge seal integrity
Rationale: Failure of the IGU edge seal can allow
moisture to enter the cavity, resulting in condensation
between panes and reduced insulating performance.
10. What does U-factor measure?
A. Solar radiation only
B. Glass thickness
C. Heat transfer through a glazing assembly
D. Wind speed
Correct Answer: Heat transfer through a glazing
assembly
Rationale: U-factor represents the rate of heat transfer
through an assembly. Lower U-factor generally indicates
better insulating performance.
11. What does SHGC stand for?
A. Structural Heat Glass Capacity
B. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
C. Safety Heat Glass Classification
D. Solar Hardware Glazing Component
Correct Answer: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Rationale: SHGC indicates how much incident solar
radiation enters a building through a fenestration
product as heat.
