Properties of Material
Brick....

feels... takes... resists... changes...
1. hard - moulded clay is baked at a very high temperature to form bricks
2. roughish and looks dull
3. dry
4. easy to handle - bricks are all the same regular shape and size making them easy to carry and build

Look at brick buildings from different ages and notice the difference in the size of brick used.




a weight - they make a strong structure when bonded together

Check how the walls of Aston Hall have been bonded together.




1. cold - brick keeps in heat (insulates)
2.electricity - they will not carry an electrical charge

3. weather - bricks are hard-wearing and reasonably weatherproof
4. fire - they will blacken but not burn. A number of bricks burnt black in the simple kilns (ovens) set up near the building work at Aston Hall

How were the black bricks used? Check

1. if frozen - bricks are not waterproof and will slowly absorb water - if the water freezes and therefore expands then the ice will lead to the bricks flaking and breaking up 
2. if  knocked - bricks are brittle and will shatter - some bricks are stronger than others depending on the sort of clay used

Find out what sort of clay is used to make  the dark purple bricks used for railway bridges and old factories

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