Everything

you should
know
about copper
Erma Veronika Hariyono
Nur Syafiqah Safwah Monzane
 Definition of the Copper
Element

A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element. The principal ore of copper is

chalcopyrite a sulfide of copper and iron, also called copper pyrite. Small amounts of
copper are found uncombined, in the United States, Canada, Chile and Peru, Russia and
to a limited extent in Europe and the UK. It is an excellent conductor of heat and
electricity and is widely used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant
parts, either pure or in alloys with brass and bronze.

Copper is softer than Iron but harder than Zinc and can be polished to a bright finish.
Refer to Copper Reaction for its reaction to Water, Oxygen & Acids. The Atomic Number
of this element is 29 and the Element Symbol is Cu.
 What is Copper?
The word 'copper' originates from the Latin word "Cuprum"
(hence the symbol Cu), after the island of Cyprus. Cyprus was
the major supplier of copper to the Roman Empire. Copper was
associated with Venus, the goddess of love, in Roman
mythology. The Romans believed that Venus rose from the
waters of Cyprus looking at herself in a copper mirror. The
association between copper and the goddess lead to the belief
that copper would attract love and protect against evil. In
alchemy, the symbol for copper was also the symbol for the
planet Venus. 
 Periodic Table Group and
Classification of the Copper Element

Elements can be classified based on their physical states (States

of Matter) e.g. gas, solid or liquid. This element is a solid.
Copper is classified as a "Transition Metal" which are located in
Groups 3 - 12 of the Periodic Table. Elements classified as
Transition Metals are generally described as ductile, malleable,
and able to conduct electricity and heat. Nearly 75% of all the
elements in the Periodic Table are classified as metals which
are detailed in the List of Metals.
 Facts about the History and
the Discovery of the Copper Element
Copper was discovered in Ancient times and used by the
ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. Copper was
probably the very first metal mined and crafted by man. It was
believed to have been originally discovered in the Middle
East. Copper is one of the metals referred to as one of the
'Metals of Antiquity'. The ancient 'Metals of Antiquity' together
with their approximate dates of discovery and use are Gold
(6000BC), Copper (9000BC), Silver (4000BC), Lead (6400BC), Tin
(3000BC), Iron (1500BC) and Mercury (1500BC).
 Isotopes
• There are 29 isotopes of copper. 
• 63Cu and 65Cu are stable, with 63Cu comprising approximately 69% of
naturally occurring copper; they both have a spin of 3⁄2
•  The other isotopes are radioactive, with the most stable being 67Cu
with a half-life of 61.83 hours.[
•  Seven metastable isotopes have been characterized, with68mCu the
longest-lived with a half-life of 3.8 minutes.
• Isotopes with a mass number above 64 decay by β−, whereas those
with a mass number below 64 decay by β+. 64Cu, which has a half-life
of 12.7 hours, decays both ways.
• 62Cu and 64Cu have significant applications. 62Cu is used in 62Cu-PTSM
that is a radioactive tracer for positron emission tomography.
 Electric conductor
• Copper wires allow electric current to flow without much
loss of energy.
• This is why copper wires are used in mains cables in houses
and underground (although overhead cables tend be
aluminium because it is less dense).
• However, where size rather than weight is important, copper
is the best choice.
• Thick copper strip is used for lightning conductors on tall
buildings like church spires.
• The cable has to be thick so that it can carry a large current
without melting.
Device Uses
Electromagnets
locks, scrapyard cranes, electric bells.

• Copper wire can be wound into a coil.

Motors

• The coil will produce a magnetic field and,

pumps, domestic appliances (washing
being made of copper, machines,
won't waste
dishwashers, much
fridges, vacuum
cleaners), cars (starter motors, windscreen
electrical energy. wipers, electric windows), computers (disc
drives, fans), entertainment systems
• Copper coils can be found
(walkman, video player, CD and DVD players).
in:

Dynamos
bicycles, power stations.
Transformers
mains adaptors, electricity substations, power
stations.
What are the Chemical Properties of Copper?

Toxicity Poisonous in large amounts

Reactivity with
water It does not react with water
Readily combines with water and carbon dioxide
Oxidation
producing hydrated copper carbonate
Corrosion Corrodes when exposed to air
What are the Physical Properties of Copper?

Color Reddish-Brown metal

Malleability Capable of being shaped or bent

Ductility Easily pulled or stretched into a thin wire

Luster Has a shine or glow

Conductivity Excellent transmission of heat or electricity

• Copper, silver and gold are in group 11 of the periodic table, and
they share certain attributes: they have one s-orbital electron on
top of a filled d-electron shell and are characterized by high
ductility and electrical conductivity. The filled d-shells in these
elements do not contribute much to the interatomic interactions,
which are dominated by the s-electrons through metallic bonds.
• Unlike in metals with incomplete d-shells, metallic bonds in copper
are lacking a covalent character and are relatively weak. This
explains the low hardness and high ductility of single crystals of
copper.
• At the macroscopic scale, introduction of extended defects to the
crystal lattice, such as grain boundaries, hinders flow of the
material under applied stress, thereby increasing its hardness.
• For this reason, copper is usually supplied in a fine-
grained polycrystalline form, which has greater strength than
monocrystalline forms.
• The softness of copper partly explains its high electrical
conductivity (59.6×106 S/m) and thus also high thermal
conductivity, which are the second highest (to silver)
among pure metals at room temperature.  
• This is because the resistivity to electron transport in
metals at room temperature mostly originates from
scattering of electrons on thermal vibrations of the lattice,
which are relatively weak for a soft metal.
• The maximum permissible current density of copper in
open air is approximately 3.1×106 A/m2 of cross-sectional
area, above which it begins to heat excessively.
• As with other metals, if copper is placed against another
metal, galvanic corrosion will occur.
• Together with caesium and gold (both yellow),
and osmium (bluish), copper is one of only four
elemental metals with a natural color other than gray
or silver
• Pure copper is orange-red and acquires a
reddish tarnish when exposed to air.
• The characteristic color of copper results from the
electronic transitions between the filled 3d and half-
empty 4s atomic shells – the energy difference
between these shells is such that it corresponds to
orange light.
• The same mechanism accounts for the yellow color of
gold and caesium.
Aplication
Of Copper
In Daily
Life
 Heat conductor

Copper allows heat to pass through it quickly. It is therefore used in

many applications where quick heat transfer is important. These include

Device Uses
Copper plate Saucepan bottoms.
Copper pipes Heat exchangers in hot water tanks,
under floor heating systems, all
weather football pitches and car
radiators.
Heat sinks Computers, disk drives, TV sets.
 Catalytic compounds

Copper can act as a catalyst. For example, it

speeds up the reaction between zinc and
dilute sulphuric acid. It is found in
some enzymes, one of which is involved
in respiration. So it really is a vital element.
 Alloys
Copper can be combined with other metals to make alloys. The most well known
are brass and bronze. Although copper has excellent electrical and thermal
properties, it needs to be hardened and strengthened for many industrial
applications. It is therefore mixed with other metals and melted. The liquid metals
form a solution which, when they solidify, are called alloys. Some copper alloys
are:
• brass: copper + zinc
• bronze: copper + tin
• cupro nickel: copper + nickel
The alloys are harder, stronger and tougher than pure copper. They can be made
even harder by hammering them - a process called work hardening.
In ancient times, the first alloys could be made in the temperatures of a camp fire.
This led to the Bronze Age.
 Medical Uses of Copper - Health and
Treatments
Copper is used in its salt forms as an astringent, deodorant and an antifungal.
 

Medical Medical
Uses of Copper & Treatments
Disorders Symptoms
Osteoporosis Bones to become Multivitamins that include minerals
fragile usually have copper. Copper is also
available as an separate oral supplement
or as a topical gel or solution