Practice question · Select all that apply
Which are consequences of differential shrinkage?
Hints
- Three are drying phenomena; one concerns firing rather than shrinkage.
- Rims and handles are the classic casualties.
Show the answer
- A. A join between pieces at different moisture levels fails
- C. Thin extremities crack because they dry and shrink first
- D. Uneven drying pulls a piece apart from inside
Why
The first three are the same mechanism in three forms: a part that shrinks before its neighbour pulls against it. That is why the answer is nearly always slower and more even drying — plastic sheeting, damp boxes, extremities wrapped — rather than more careful handling.
Practise Clay: What It Is and Why It Shrinks
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