Shade numbers commonly used for oxyacetylene goggles are 10, 11, and 12.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only 12
• D. Only 10

Answer: (B)

Shade numbers reflect how much light and heat a filter blocks. Oxyacetylene flame work isn’t as bright as an electric arc, so the protective filters used for gas welding are much lower—typically around shade 3 to 5, with shade 4 common for gas welding and shade 5 for cutting. Shades as high as 10–12 are designed for arc welding, where the light output is far greater. Because of that, stating that oxyacetylene goggles commonly use 10, 11, and 12 isn’t correct. In practice you’d expect lower numbers like 3, 4, or 5 for gas welding and cutting, with higher shades only needed for arc welding.