Practice question · Multiple choice
A bone-dry clay vessel still contains water, yet its physical dimensions remain stable during the early stages of firing. What explains this apparent contradiction?
Hints
- Where is the remaining physical water located once the clay plates have settled?
- Why does the departure of shrinkage water alter external dimensions whilst pore water loss does not?
Show the answer
B. Plates have already touched, so pore water loss causes no shrinkage
Why
Pore water fills spaces between particles that have already made contact during room-temperature drying. Shrinkage only occurs when plates draw closer together; once touching, further moisture loss cannot reduce the volume, meaning dimensional change ceases until firing shrinkage begins at higher temperatures.
Practise Clay: What It Is and Why It Shrinks
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More questions on Clay: What It Is and Why It Shrinks
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