How Much Do You Know About Ceramics?

Ceramics are man-made, but using many materials taken from the Earth.

Yes, it's called shrinkage. There's so much more that I could say about this, but I'm just gonna let it go.

Utilitarian ceramics include dinnerware and pottery. These are the goods that we use every day.

Porcelain is white and highly vitrified - meaning it's glass-like. It's translucent when it's very thin.

Earthenware is considered a low fire ceramic. That means that it is baked at a low temperature.

Ceramics are so tough and lightweight that they're actually used in body armor. Crazy but true!

Both porcelain and stoneware are high fire ceramics. That means that they need to be baked at a high temperature.

Yes, there are ceramics at work in your electronics. They're in the insulators, resistors, superconductors and so much more!

The glaze is the protective coating on the ceramics. It not only protects the clay, but also adds character, color, and a finish thats anywhere from shiny to matte..

Dunting refers to the cracks in the ceramic that can take place during the cool-down after firing. Nobody wants to see dunting!

The kiln is used for firing ceramics. Some kilns can reach temperatures of 2455 degrees Fahrenheit!

The electric kiln is small in size and quite convenient. Many artists choose to have one in their studio.

Ceramics consist of anything where you extract materials from the Earth and then fire them to make an object.

These are actually all considered to be ceramics. And of course, pottery as well.

Many dental crowns are actually ceramic! Your dentist is actually a potter!

The British call someone who works with pottery a crocker! Did Betty Crocker work with ceramics?

The blade of a ceramic knife will stay sharper for longer than a steel knife. The only problem is that it can break when dropped on a hard surface.

Unfired pottery is called greenware. Once it's been fired, it cannot be rehydrated or reshaped.

Ceramics are known for having high harness. That's why they're so durable and great for everyday use!

Ceramics are actually resistant to corrosion. This is another element that makes them so durable.

Glass is what is known as an amorphous ceramic. That means that its atoms have no specific order.

The first firing is the bisque, which creates a very fragile item. At this point, the ceramic piece is called a biscuit.

Raku is the Japanese pottery method that originated in Japan. Today, it's a marvelous way to achieve color when working with copper.

These are called stains, and they add remarkable color! This is done on the surface of the clay and glaze.

This is simply called ceramic change. Once clay goes through the change, it can't be reversed.

Cobalt is one of the strongest coloring oxides used by a potter. It's famous for being used in China to paint the blue and white ceramics.