stone

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 * What do you see in the puzzle? a castle
 * What is the material used? mostly stone
 * How many types of uses are given to the material? it was used for a little wall, as part of the structure and as a way to make the entrance
 * **What are stones? Stones are the result of a lot of different parts of the earth and oceans, that together they make this mass that is really hard. It is like a rock but in a smaller scale. So stone would be something very hard with no specif shape that can be found almost anywhere in the planet.
 * **How many kinds of stone do you know?   There are a lot of different types of stones, I do not know their names but I know they are different kinds of stones. They can be classified by their components or their color, smell, size or shape. There is this classification that are called precious stones that are stones used for jewelry mostly.
 * **What characteristics do stones have? Their surface is rough, it can be smooth if found near the ocean, some are harder than others, some can be easily destroyed while others are very hard. They can have different uses but mostly they are used for construction, or to decorate a house or building. Stones, like I said, change according to their color, structure, size, place where found, and so on.
 * **Why are stones used in construction? Stones were the main component of construction in the past because they are hard, stable and protect you from the weather, enemies, animals and almost anything. They became popular because with them the first castles were made and it was a lot more safe than something made with wood, and far better than a cave. So they are used in construction because they can make a building stable, strong and high. **

 Paragraph writing

Since we already know what stones are, and what are their uses and characteristics, I am going to complement the knowledge taken from a brain map. Among the advantages of stones are durability, adaptability to sculptural treatment , **and the fact that it can be used in modest structures in its natural state.** But like everything else, stones also have disadvantages, and these are: they are weak in tension **(which limits its use for beams, lintels, and floor supports)**, expensive, unstable with loads pushing at angles and they are difficult to quarry, transport and cut. **Another disadvantage is that stone vaults and arches require more support and buttressing than equivalent forms in other materials.**


 * The cheapest and simplest stonework is** rubble **(roughly broken stones of any shape bounded in mortar)**, and the second one is called ashlar masonry **(which is the strongest and most suitable stonework for monumental architecture)**, in which the stone is regularly cut in blocks. **Because of the stones weight and the detailed shape that it can get, stone masonry does not rely on strong bonding for stability, therefore a mortar is barely needed.

After several experiments, professionals have concluded that stones should be cut in blocks and then placed so that "the vertical joints in one course are not about the joints in the course above and below" (this is to get the best bonding possible between them), this is due to the fact that stone is not easily deformed, which puts it at the top of the list of the greatest bonding materials in the present.Since stones are so hard, they are usually used as columns and piers, and beams such as lintels, to give excellent support. Stone has been one of the most frecuently used materials since the begining of mankind. Considering that this great material has been substituded for cheaper and more efficient materials, created thanks to technology, stone is still widely used as a surface veneer** **because of its practical and expressive properties.**

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