Ceramic material is an inorganic, nonmetallic material that is hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. It is made by shaping and then firing an inorganic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Ceramic materials are classified as inorganic and nonmetallic materials that are essential to our daily lifestyle. They are typically hard and chemically non-reactive and can be formed or densified with heat. Ceramics can be crystalline, glassy, or both crystalline and glassy. They are used in a wide range of applications, including pottery, dishes, tiles, glass, cement, electronics, spark plugs, fiber optics, artificial joints, space shuttle tiles, cooktops, race car brakes, micropositioners, chemical sensors, self-lubricating bearings, body armor, and skis. Ceramic materials are also used in the construction of roads and buildings. Depending on their method of formation, ceramics can be dense or lightweight, and they can demonstrate excellent strength and hardness properties. However, they are often brittle in nature. Ceramics can also be formed to serve as electrically conductive materials, objects allowing electricity to pass through their mass, or insulators, materials preventing the flow of electricity. Some ceramics, like superconductors, also display magnetic properties.