The binding material in the mortar is also called:
🔬 Understanding Mortar Composition
Mortar is a composite material used in masonry to bind building blocks like bricks or stones together. It is typically composed of three main components: a binding material (like cement or lime), a fine aggregate (sand), and water. When mixed, the binding material and water form a paste that coats the aggregate particles. This paste then hardens, binding the aggregate and the masonry units into a solid mass.
📝 Detailed Analysis of the Terms
(d) Matrix
This is the correct answer. In the context of composite materials like mortar and concrete, the matrix is the continuous phase that surrounds and binds the filler material (the aggregate). In mortar, the cement paste (cement + water) acts as the matrix, enveloping the sand particles and locking them in place as it hardens. Therefore, "matrix" is the correct technical term for the binding material in its active, binding role within the composite.
(c) Paste
This is incorrect, but a close distractor. The term "paste" specifically refers to the mixture of the binder (cement) and water. While this paste forms the matrix of the mortar, the term "matrix" is more accurate for describing its function within the final composite material (mortar).
(a) Admixture
This is incorrect. An admixture is a chemical added in small quantities to modify the properties of the mortar, such as workability or setting time. It is an ingredient, but not the primary binding material itself.
(b) Adulterant
This is incorrect. An adulterant is an impurity or a substance added to degrade the quality of a material, usually to make it cheaper. It is the opposite of a functional component.
📊 Summary: Terminology in Mortar
| Term | Definition | Example in Mortar |
|---|---|---|
| Matrix | The continuous binding phase in a composite material. | Cement Paste (Cement + Water) |
| Aggregate | The filler material that is bound by the matrix. | Sand |
| Paste | A mixture of cementitious material and water. | Cement + Water |
| Admixture | A chemical added to modify properties. | Water reducer, air-entrainer |
💡 Study Tips
- Think in Equations: Remember the simple hierarchy: (Cement + Water) = Paste. (Paste + Sand) = Mortar.
- Matrix Holds Everything: In the final mortar mix, the Paste acts as the Matrix that holds the sand (Aggregate). "Matrix" describes the *function* of the paste within the composite.
- Admixture vs. Adulterant: An Admixture is something you intentionally mix in to improve the material. An Adulterant is something that makes the material "adulterated" or impure.