Properties of Brick

Feels...
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 .

Takes...
a weight - they make a strong structure when bonded together Check how the walls of
Aston Hall have been bonded together.

Resists...
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. On the exterior of Aston Hall can be seen a number of bricks which were burnt black by the simple kilns (ovens) that were set up near the original building site.

Changes...
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.