Final answer:
Fired clay tiles used for surfacing walls, floors, and countertops are ceramic tiles. They are made from shaped, dried, and kiln-fired clay, and can be decorated in various ways or used in mosaic art for durable designs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fired clay tiles used for surfacing walls, floors, and countertops are c) Ceramic tiles. These tiles are made from clay that is shaped, dried, and then fired in a kiln at high temperatures to achieve a hard, durable surface. Decoration of ceramics can involve a variety of techniques, such as incising lines into the surface, creating textures, or painting the ceramics. Ceramic tiles are an essential part of mosaic artwork, where artists glue small pieces of colored tiles to a surface and then seal them with grout to create durable, long-lasting designs. The use of ceramic tiles for decorative surfacing in architecture dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by the use of enameled tiles within Babylonian structures where tiles often featured brightly colored glazes.