1.  What's the difference between ceramics and pottery?

Ceramics are various hard, brittle, heat- and corrosion- resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a mineral that is non-metallic, such as clay, at a high temperature.  Pottery and ceramics are generally used interchangeably, although sometimes the word pottery means a more utilitarian type of ceramics.

2.  Has china got anything to do with the country?

China is high-quality porcelain or ceramic ware, originally made in China.

3.  What makes clay different from plain old dirt?

When clay is moist, it can be smooth, sticky, or slippery, soft and dense.  Its shape can be changed without breaking the material– it can be modeled.  This most important property of clay is called plasticity.  It is rare that a clay dug from the ground will suit our needs for forming.  Typically we alter the clay by mixing it with other clays, silica, feldspar, and grog or sand.  The resulting mixture  is called a claybody.