Bitumen
Categories: Education
Bitumen: what people in the biz call “asphalt.”
What is asphalt, exactly, you ask? It’s distilled crude oil that’s great for putting on the ground, thanks to its binding and waterproof characteristics.
Bitumen’s been around since at least 500 BC, so it’s supes old school.
![](https://media1.shmoop.com/images/finance-glossary/manhattan-skyline-night.jpg)