Concrete is a composite material made from a mixture of cement (acting as a binder), aggregates (usually sand and gravel or crushed stone chips), and water. When mixed, the cement and water form a paste that coats the aggregate and fills the gaps between them. This paste hardens over time through a process called hydration, binding the aggregates together into a solid mass. Mortar, in contrast, is a mixture of cement, sand, and water, used primarily for binding masonry units like bricks or stones. Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) is concrete that incorporates steel reinforcement bars to improve its tensile strength. Monoliths are large single pieces of stone or concrete.