Copper
material · 9000 BC · Stone Age
One of the first metals mastered by humans.
Principles and materials it uses
- Smelting — uses. Copper was smelted from ore.
Where it is used
- Bronze — is material for. Bronze is based on copper.
- Brass — is material for. Brass is copper with zinc.
- Radiator — is material for. Classic radiators are copper and brass.
- Copper wire — is material for. Copper.
- Plumbing — is material for. Copper pipes.
- Kettle — is material for. Copper kettles.
- Lightning rod — is material for. Copper.
- Alembic — is material for. Copper.
- Diving suit — is material for. A copper helmet.
- Mirror — is material for. Early mirrors were polished discs of copper and bronze.
- Nail — is material for. The first nails in Egypt were copper.
- Saw — is material for. Egyptian saws were copper.
- Chisel — is material for. Ancient chisels were copper, then bronze.
- Scalpel — is material for. Egyptian surgical knives were copper.
- Ruler — is material for. The Nippur cubit (~2650 BC) is a rod of copper alloy.
- Boiler — is material for. Early boilers were copper.
- Shower — is material for. The pipes are copper.
- Steam carriage — is material for. The boiler is copper.
- Voltaic pile — is material for. And copper.
- Fire extinguisher — is material for. Manby’s extinguisher is a copper cylinder.
- Galvanometer — is material for. The coil is copper wire.
- Percussion cap — is material for. A percussion cap is a copper cap.
- Thermocouple — is material for. A thermocouple is made of two different metals soldered together, for example copper…
- Stephenson’s Rocket — is material for. The fire tubes are copper.
- Fire-tube boiler — is material for. The pipes are copper.
- Inductor — is material for. The coil is copper wire.
- Electric bell — is material for. The winding is copper.
- Relay — is material for. The winding is copper wire.
- Electrical telegraph — is material for. The wires are copper and iron.
- Potentiometer — is material for. The contacts are copper.