What is Ceramic?
[[File:Tiled roof in Dubrovnik-edit.jpg|thumb|Ceramic tiles]] [[File:Faience Plate Melograno.jpg|thumb|alt=|A ceramic plate]] [[File:Egypte louvre 180 pot.jpg|thumb|alt=|This ceramic is [[pottery]] from [[Ancient Egypt]]]] '''Ceramic''' is the name for some [[material]]s that are formed by the use of [[heat]]. The word ''ceramic'' comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] word {{lang|el|κεραμικός}} (''{{transl|el|keramikos}}''). Chemically, it is an [[inorganic compound]] of [[metal]], [[non-metal]] or [[metalloid]] atoms held together by [[chemical bond]]s. Ceramics are commonly made by hand or by using a [[pottery wheel]]. Up to the 1950s or so, the most important were the traditional [[clay]]s, made into [[pottery]], [[brick]]s, [[tile]]s and the like, also [[cement]]s and [[glass]]. [[Clay]]-based [[ceramics]] are described in the article on [[pottery]]. A [[composite material]] of ceramic and [[metal]] is known as [[cermet]]. The word ''ceramic'' can be an adjective, and can also be used as a noun to refer to a ceramic material, or a product of ceramic manufacture. ''Ceramics'' may also be used as a singular noun referring to the art of making things out of ceramic materials. The technology of [[manufacturing]] and usage of ceramic materials is part of the field of ceramic [[engineering]]. Many clay-based ceramic materials are hard, [[wikt:porous|porous]], and [[wikt:brittle|brittle]]. The study and development of ceramics includes methods to deal with these characteristics, to accentuate the strengths of the materials and investigate novel applications.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ctioa.org/index.cfm?pi=GL&gaction=list&grp=C |title=Ceramic Tile and Stone Standards |access-date=2008-10-27 |archive-date=2009-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090118200947/http://www.ctioa.org/index.cfm?pi=GL&gaction=list&grp=C |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Types of ceramic materials== [[File:Stsheat.jpg|thumb|350px|Simulation of the outside of the Space Shuttle as it heats up to over 1,500&nbsp;°C durin