What is Copper Used For?
Are you looking for an easy way to teach your child about rocks and minerals? We’ve put together a set of free materials that parents and teachers can use right away. In this lesson, your child will dive into the fascinating world of rocks and minerals.
We’ll explore the history and uses of the metal copper in human civilization. Explore science more engagingly with captivating 3D videos and interactive quizzes. Download our app to get started!
What you will learn from this lesson
- Copper is a metal found in nature, called native copper.
- Adding tin to copper makes a strong alloy called bronze.
- Malachite is a green mineral used for pigments and jewellery.
Copper was one of the first metals used by humans. It’s extracted from several different minerals, including chalcopyrite, azurite, and malachite. Even though pure copper is a material found in nature, known as native copper, it is a relatively soft metal. Because of its softness, tools made only from pure copper were not very strong.
To make stronger materials, people discovered that adding tin to copper creates a robust alloy called bronze. This invention was a major historical breakthrough. In history, bronze was essential not just for creating durable weapons but also for making bronze artifacts that carried important symbolic meanings. Understanding the strength of bronze is a key part of what copper is used for.
In addition to being the base for bronze, copper is also sourced from minerals used for other purposes. Malachite, a carbonate mineral with a vibrant green color, has historically played a role in copper extraction for various industrial applications. Malachite has also been ground into a fine powder to create green pigments for traditional paintings and has been used in jewelry and decorative arts. This mineral has a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4 and can exhibit a variety of shapes. Copper-bearing minerals and the bronze alloy have played crucial and distinct roles throughout human history.
Fun Fact
- Pure copper is a soft metal, so tools made from it weren’t very strong.
- The ancient Egyptians used the green copper mineral malachite as a charm.
- Malachite can be crushed into a powder to make a vibrant green pigment for painting.
Vocabulary
- Native Copper: A rare, pure form of the copper element found in nature.
- Chalcopyrite: A copper-bearing mineral that contains the copper element.
- Azurite: A copper-bearing mineral that contains the copper element.
- Malachite: A bright green mineral that contains copper and can be used to make jewelry or paint.
- Bronze: An alloy, or mixture, of copper and tin that is stronger than pure copper.
- Alloy: A substance made by combining two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal (in this case, bronze is made of copper and tin).