Building Blocks of Matter

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Inorganic:
Through investigating the various properties of Cement/Concrete/Mortar, Glass, and Ceramics/Porcelain I have come to understand the chemical composition, type of bond, structure, and the daily use of each of the substances. Cement is composed of calcium which usually is acquired from limestone and silicon which is usually from sand, shale or clay (aluminosilicates). The structure of cement is in between the two extremes of an ionic and a covalent model. It is between an ionic oxide lattice and a tetrahedral covalent network. Cement when wet or when dry has both cohesive and adhesive properties. Concrete is created through the mixture of cement (filler), fine and coarse aggregate (binder), and water. With the characteristics of these materials, concrete’s type of bond attributes to its high thermal insulation properties and the strength of the material itself. Concrete is used for building materials and due to its thermal insulation properties as insulators. Mortar is a mixture of cementitious materials, water, and aggregate. For commercial use in buildings and constructions, it is useful by having water retentivity and its strength after stiffening and hardening. In addition, the content in the mortar of cement as well as air content affects the strength of the tensile bond between the mortar and the masonry. Due to the materials that compose mortar, it developed a chemical structure that is similar to its components. Also, in daily use, mortar is used for construction for buildings to attach segments together.
To further investigate the properties of inorganic materials, I will continue with the properties of glass. Glass is composed of formers (usually silica SiO2 ), fluxes (frequently as a carbonate substa...

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...s in these structures are covalently bonded. Many types of fullerenes are arranged in large groups (many dozens of carbon atoms). Types of fullerenes discovered include C60 and C70. They can be used in products such as carbon nanotubes which in turn are used for electronic wires, science materials, and computer memory.
Through researching both organic and inorganic materials, I have come to understand that there are many properties and structures ranging from shape to uses in commercial products. The advancement of science as well as technology is an underlying theme of this report which points to the development of future innovations. These innovations have at times been discovered accidently but the further movement of studies is a testament to the human desire for discovery. Further studies will exhibit more data and discoveries that will improve the world.

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