Concrete (disambiguation) facts for kids

Concrete is a super important building material used all over the world! It's like a special mix of different ingredients that hardens into a strong, stone-like material. Think of it as a giant, man-made rock that we can shape into almost anything.

What is Concrete?

Concrete is a composite material. This means it's made by combining different things. The main parts of concrete are aggregate and a cement binder.

What are the Ingredients of Concrete?

The main ingredients are:

• Aggregate: These are like the "bones" of the concrete. They include things like sand, gravel, or crushed rock.
• Cement: This is a fine powder, usually Portland cement. When mixed with water, it acts like a glue.
• Water: Water mixes with the cement to create a paste. This paste coats the aggregates and fills the spaces between them.
• Admixtures: Sometimes, special chemicals called admixtures are added. These can change how the concrete behaves. For example, they might make it set faster or slower.

How is Concrete Made?

Making concrete is a bit like baking a giant cake!

• First, the dry ingredients (cement and aggregates) are measured out.
• Then, water is added and everything is mixed together. This creates a wet, workable mixture.
• This wet concrete is then poured into molds or forms. These forms give the concrete its desired shape.
• Over time, the concrete hardens through a chemical process called hydration. This is when the cement and water react. The concrete gets stronger and stronger as it cures.

Why is Concrete So Important?

Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials on Earth. It's popular for many reasons:

• Strength: Once it's hardened, concrete is incredibly strong and durable. It can support heavy weights.
• Versatility: You can pour concrete into almost any shape. This makes it useful for many different structures.
• Durability: Concrete lasts a very long time. It can withstand tough weather conditions.
• Cost-effective: The materials for concrete are usually easy to find and not too expensive.

Where Do We See Concrete?

You probably see concrete every day! It's used to build:

• Buildings: From houses to huge skyscrapers.
• Roads and bridges: Many roads, highways, and bridges are made of concrete.
• Dams: Large dams that hold back water are often built with concrete.
• Sidewalks and driveways: The paths you walk on are often concrete.
• Foundations: The strong base of almost any building is made of concrete.

Concrete in Art

While mostly known for building, concrete has also found its way into the art world!

• Concrete Poetry: This is a type of poetry where the way the words are arranged on the page is just as important as their meaning. The visual shape of the poem often relates to its topic.
• Concrete Art: This is an art movement that started in the early 20th century. Artists focused on abstract art that didn't represent anything from the real world. They used basic shapes, colors, and lines to create their art. The idea was that the art should be "concrete" and exist purely for itself, not to imitate anything.

Other Meanings of Concrete

The word "concrete" can also refer to other things, like:

• The Concretes, a Swedish indie pop band.
• Concrete (999 album), an album by the band 999.
• Musique concrète, a type of music made from recorded sounds.
• Concrete (comics), a comic book series about a large, stone-like character.
• Concrete, Washington, a town in the United States.

See also

• concrete5, an open source content management system.