How It’s Made Bricks

How It’s Made Bricks

Brick Making Process

  • History: Brick making originated in Mesopotamia around 4,000 BCE and evolved over time with advancements in technology and automation.
  • Raw Material Extraction: Quarry machines dig up Shale layers, which are left to soften for several years before processing.
  • Processing: Shale is crushed into a fine powder, mixed with water to form a paste, and then extruded into a long continuous form called a slug.
  • Shaping and Drying: The slug is cut into sections, stacked, and dried in a dryer for 48 hours.
  • Kiln Firing: Bricks are heated to temperatures of 800-1100°C for 36 hours.
  • Quality Control: Bricks are weighed, measured, and tested for water absorption to ensure they meet precise specifications.
  • Benefits: Bricks are durable, resistant to rot, fading, and warping, and offer excellent energy efficiency.
Term Definition Example Usage
Shale A type of fine-grained sedimentary rock used as the primary raw material in brick making. The brick factory uses shale extracted from the nearby quarry to produce high-quality bricks.
Extrusion A process of shaping a material, such as clay, into a long continuous form using a machine. The brick-making machine uses extrusion to create uniform slugs of clay that are then cut into individual bricks.
Kiln Firing A process of heating bricks to high temperatures in a kiln to achieve the desired hardness and durability. The bricks are subjected to kiln firing at temperatures of 1000°C to make them more resistant to weathering.
Water Absorption A measure of the amount of water a brick can absorb, which affects its durability and performance. The bricks are tested for water absorption to ensure they meet the required standards for outdoor use.
Quarry A site where raw materials, such as shale, are extracted from the earth. The brick factory operates a quarry nearby to source the necessary shale for brick production.
Slug A long, continuous piece of clay or other material that is cut into individual bricks. The brick-making machine produces a slug of clay that is then cut into uniform bricks.
Dryer A device or machine used to dry bricks or other materials to remove excess moisture. The bricks are placed in a dryer for 48 hours to remove excess moisture and prepare them for kiln firing.
Mesopotamia A historical region in the Middle East where brick making originated around 4,000 BCE. The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia is credited with developing the first brick-making techniques.
Automation The use of machines or technology to streamline and improve the efficiency of a process, such as brick making. The brick factory has implemented automation to increase production capacity and reduce labor costs.
Energy Efficiency The ability of a material or system to conserve energy and reduce energy consumption. Bricks are a popular building material due to their energy efficiency and ability to regulate indoor temperatures.

Brick Making Process Vocabulary Quiz

Test your understanding of the vocabulary used in the brick making process.

1. What does the term “extruded” mean in the context of brick making?








2. What is the term for the process of heating bricks to high temperatures?








3. What is the term for the layer of rock that is extracted for brick making?








4. What is the term for the process of testing bricks to ensure they meet precise specifications?








5. What is the term for the long continuous form of the brick mixture before it is cut into sections?









Answer Key

1. b) To force the mixture through a machine to create a specific shape

2. b) Kiln Firing

3. c) Shale

4. a) Quality Control

5. c) Slug

The Passive Voice with Intransitive Verbs

The passive voice is often used to describe processes or procedures, as in the text about the brick making process. Intransitive verbs, which do not take an object, can also be used in the passive voice, but the meaning may change. For example, ‘Bricks are left to soften’ is a passive construction, but ‘Bricks are softened’ would imply that someone or something is actively softening the bricks. Intransitive verbs like ‘evolve’, ‘harden’, ‘warp’, and ‘fade’ can be used in the passive voice to describe a change of state or condition, but they do not take an agent by phrase (by + doer) because they do not imply an external agent causing the change.

Quiz:

  1. Which of the following sentences is in the passive voice?
    1. The brick makers dig up the Shale layers.
    2. The Shale layers are dug up by the brick makers.
    3. The brick makers are digging up the Shale layers.
    4. The Shale layers are being dug up.
  2. What is the difference in meaning between ‘Bricks are left to soften’ and ‘Bricks are softened’?
    1. ‘Bricks are left to soften’ implies that someone is actively softening the bricks, while ‘Bricks are softened’ implies that the bricks are softening naturally.
    2. ‘Bricks are left to soften’ implies that the bricks are softening naturally, while ‘Bricks are softened’ implies that someone or something is actively softening the bricks.
    3. ‘Bricks are left to soften’ implies that the bricks are already soft, while ‘Bricks are softened’ implies that the bricks are still hard.
    4. ‘Bricks are left to soften’ implies that the bricks are being used for a different purpose, while ‘Bricks are softened’ implies that the bricks are being used for the same purpose.
  3. Which of the following intransitive verbs can be used in the passive voice to describe a change of state or condition?
    1. Run, jump, and throw.
    2. Evolve, harden, and warp.
    3. Eat, drink, and sleep.
    4. Read, write, and think.
  4. Which of the following sentences uses the passive voice correctly with an intransitive verb?
    1. The bricks are being made by the machine.
    2. The bricks are fading slowly.
    3. The bricks are being faded by the sun.
    4. The bricks are faded by the sun.
  5. Why is it unnecessary to use an agent by phrase (by + doer) with intransitive verbs in the passive voice?
    1. Because the agent is unknown or unimportant.
    2. Because the verb is in the present tense.
    3. Because the verb is in the past tense.
    4. Because the verb does not imply an external agent causing the change.

Answer Key:

  1. B
  2. B
  3. B
  4. B
  5. D

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