My daughter has aclass assignment. She needs to make a brick out of non-manmade products. Any suggestions?
2007-09-13 13:16:39 · 5 answers · asked by Betheny H 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
The easiest is to take natural clay, dry it, and bake it into the brick. That is what commercial bricks are made from.
2007-09-13 15:19:45 · answer #1 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to have clay to make a brick. While mud and straw are used in some places, such as Africa, fired clay is still the best way to make what people would recognize as a "brick". I recommend that you find a company that sells fire brick. They will have a clay that you at you can form into any shape that you want to form it into. Since this stuff tends to be a light tan, you might ask if a dye of some kind could be added to make it red. While bricks come in many colors, to possibly forestall arguments, or disappointments, see if the fire clay can be colored. You'll also need someone to fire it since the clay needs to be made very hot and an oven isn't going to do the job. Sources would be a pottery shop, or if the local high school might have a kiln, or a local college might have one. For your child's sake, the extra mile will be worth it. Having a brick that looks like a brick, that doesn't easily fall apart and make a mess would be great, for her. The pride from "I did it, I made a brick" will last a long time as well. Fire brick, a kiln, and her effort to shape it should be a task that brings a good grade for her.
2007-09-13 14:24:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
O.K. I do not know where you live, but I lived in Georgia and we used to use the red clay, found all over the place. We would wet it, the shape it and let it dry, we even made like peas, hamburgers, sorta like the play dough stuff, if it had rained all we would do is let it dry, but if it was not already wet we would add water, after it dries, it is very hard and it can be made into the brick sahpe, hope this gives you some ideas.
2007-09-13 13:26:30 · answer #3 · answered by culater 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
look up how they build bricks in africa. I believe they dig a hole until they find clay and use clay as the medium for the brick. you will also need to make a basic mold so you can get the rectangular cube shape and also i believe they let the fresh bricks sun bake for a while to dry them out you might be able to use your stove but supposedly baking earth in the oven really stinks up your house
2007-09-13 14:26:58 · answer #4 · answered by jdale18 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dried Clay, mud/straw, all i can think of
2007-09-13 13:23:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anathema-Wrath 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋