Copper: A Popular Metal

On the surface, Copper is an orange-colored metal. The element reacts to air and water; when the copper reacts with air, it will turn into a brown-like color. If copper reacts with water, the copper will turn into a greenish color. Copper is the first element in the 11th column of the Periodic Table of Elements. Copper’s symbol is Cu, its atomic number is 29, and its atomic weight is 63.546. Copper is classified as a transition metal, and it happened to be one of the first metals ever used.

Copper was and still is, found in the Earth’s crust, which made it possible for ancient people (as far as 10,000 years ago) to use the metal. Today, copper mostly comes from minerals, such as copper sulfide. Copper is primarily used for wiring because of its conductivity and low thermal expansion. The metal is also used in cooking supplies, roofing, and factory machines.

When you first think of copper, you might think of the penny. The penny was originally made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Since 1982, though, the penny has actually been made from 97% zinc and 3 copper. You might not know this, but the Statue of Liberty was also created by copper. The Statue of Liberty gets its green-like color because the copper reacted with water to form a green carbonate called verdigris!

Picture Source: resourceworld.com