Porcelain is a high-fire clay made with kaolin and yields what characteristic finish?

• A. Reddish glaze with matte finish
• B. Pure white finish
• C. Dark, glassy surface
• D. Coarse, opaque glaze

Answer: (B)

Porcelain's whiteness is its signature feature, arising from using kaolin and firing to a high temperature. Kaolin is a pure white clay mineral, and when fired hot enough the body vitrifies into a dense, non-porous material with very little color-causing impurities. That combination yields a bright, pure white surface, often with a clear or near-clear glaze to preserve that whiteness and a very smooth, glassy feel.

The other descriptions describe clays with iron or other impurities that tint the surface, or textures that are rough or opaque, which aren’t characteristic of porcelain.