- Ordinary red clay flower pots are an everyday example of ceramic pots.flower pot image by TNK from Fotolia.com
Ceramics are a class of materials made of non-metallic substances such as clay or silica. Potters make ceramic items by molding, heating and then cooling the raw ceramic ingredients to form objects such as pots. - One of more common types of ceramic pots are ordinary red-clay flower pots, also known as terra cotta. The patter mixes the raw clay with water, forms it into the familiar flower pot shape and then bakes it in a furnace or kiln. Pots of this type are very porous. As water is drawn through the material and evaporates, it cools the soil within the pot and prevents the potted plants from overheating.
- In many homes furnished with antiques, you might find a tall glazed ceramic pot serving as an umbrella stand. Glazed ceramic material is non-porous, meaning wet umbrellas could drain into an umbrella stand without the risk of damage to wooden flooring or carpeting.
- Glass is made by melting raw silica sand until it fuses into a liquid. Molten glass may be formed into several types of pots, including saucepans, large mixing bowls and flower pots. As glass cools, its density and hardness increase, but all glass retains some liquid properties.
- China is formed by heating a mixture of various ingredients including bone ash; kaolin, which is a type of clay; or loess, a finely grained form of glacial silt. Most of the world's large deposits of loess are in Asia, which is where the development of ceramics began. It's also the reason ceramics of this type are collectively known as China, after the country where the process was originally initiated.
- In 1952, scientists at Corning accidentally discovered a new type of glass-ceramic which Corning named pyroceram. It is used to fashion many of the cooking pots, pans and baking dishes manufactured by the company. The company sells pyroceram under the familiar brand name of Corningware.
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