Cement MCQ with answer and solution

Concept

Portland cement is made by two main processes: the wet process and the dry process.

Step-by-step solution

1. Cement is made by mixing calcareous material (limestone) and argillaceous material (clay or shale). 2. If the raw materials are mixed with water as a slurry, it is the wet process. 3. If they are ground and mixed in dry form, it is the dry process. 4. So there are two main types. Answer is (A).

Explanation

Cement is made by the wet process or the dry process. In the wet process, raw materials are mixed with water to form a slurry. In the dry process, they are mixed as dry powder. The dry process is common today because it uses less fuel.

Why the other options are wrong

B, C, D: Standard textbooks classify cement manufacture into only two basic processes, wet and dry. Semi-dry and semi-wet are only variations of these two.

Shortcut

Remember 'Wet and Dry' = 2 processes.

Common mistake

Students count semi-dry or semi-wet as separate main types and choose three or four.