Which term refers to the act of combining mercury with alloy during preparation?

• A. Trituration
• B. Condensation
• C. Flow
• D. Polymerization

Answer: (A)

In dental materials, forming a dental amalgam means mixing the mercury with the alloy powder to create a uniform, workable mass. This mixing action is called triturating. During triturating, the alloy particles are broken down and coated—or wetted—by mercury so they fuse into a cohesive mass that can be placed into a tooth cavity. Condensation happens after the mass is formed, when you pack it into the cavity. Flow describes how easily the material moves or spreads under pressure, and polymerization is a curing reaction that occurs in polymers, not in forming amalgam.