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Properties and Uses of Copper.
Properties.
1) Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat.
2) Copper is soft, easily bent and
shaped (malleable).
3) Copper is resistant to corrosion (very unreactive).
Uses.
1) Copper is the main
metal for electrical wiring
(compare with aluminium).
2) Copper is malleable which makes it
an ideal material for gas pipes and
water pipes.
Copper is below hydrogen in the
reactivity
series
and therefore it does not react with water.
Copper is the metal used for plumbing in houses.
Lead was used for plumbing in the past
but has been replaced
by copper
because lead compounds in water
are toxic.
This is an example of a new material replacing
an older one
because of the new material's superior properties.
3) Copper is sometimes used for cookware (not common).
4) Copper is mixed with
other metals to form alloys.
Copper is mixed with zinc to
make brass
and with tin to make bronze.
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