9Eb
Mixed up metals
P 60-61
Alloys
Aluminium – strong,
Some metals have lightweight, forms protective
useful properties. oxide layer
Name three metals
whose properties are Gold – soft, easily shaped,
useful. Explain your lustrous, unreactive
choice
Titanium- very hard, forms an
unreactive oxide coating
Metals can be mixed Bronze - 3000 BC
together to form new Brass – 400 BC
metals called alloys. Smart alloys – mid
20th century
How long ago was this
discovered? Brass
Properties of alloys
Alloys are developed To make the properties
to fulfil a purpose. of the allow suitable for
What is that purpose? the purpose
The discovery of bronze (initially a Cu-As alloy and
later a Cu-Sn alloy) allowed people to create metal
objects which were better than was previously
possible.
Tools, weapons, armour, and various building
materials, like decorative tiles, made of bronze were
harder and more durable than their stone and copper
Brass
Read the following extract and then explain why
brass is a more useful alloy than bronze in some
situations
Bronze is hard and brittle, and although bronze is generally harder than
wrought iron, the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age; this happened
because iron was easier to find. Bronze was still used during the Iron Age,
but, for many purposes, the weaker wrought iron was found to be
sufficiently strong.
Brass is a substitutional alloy. It is used for decoration for its bright
gold-like appearance; for applications where low friction is required such
as locks, gears, bearings, doorknobs, ammunition, and valves; for
plumbing and electrical applications. It is malleable and has good acoustic
properties. It is also used in zips. Because it is softer than most other
metals in general use, brass is often used in situations where it is
important that sparks not be struck, as in fittings and tools around
explosive gases.
Task
Read p60 and answer Q1 and 2
(using full, structured sentences!)
Iron
What property or iron is a real It is quite high up in the reactivity
disadvantage? series and easily combines with
oxygen
What is the formula for iron There are two oxides of iron:
oxide? Iron (II) Oxide - FeO
Iron (III) Oxide – Fe2O3
In our blood!
Iron oxide is red – we call it rust. Haemoglobin has four iron atoms.
Where does a complex of iron When they carry oxygen the blood
with oxygen form in our bodies? turns bright red
In crustaceans, the oxygen is
carried by copper atoms. Cu2+
is blue, Cu+ is red. Cook
Strength
Impurities in the metal lattice make it more
resistant to shear forces
Small amounts of other
substances can radically alter the
macroscopic structure of the
alloy
Iron alloys
Read p 61.
Describe the differences between
the properties of pig iron, cast iron,
mild steel and stainless steel
Answer the questions on the
worksheet
drill bits Tungsten (W)
Cutlery Chromium (Cr)
ductile steels Manganese (Mn) and sulphur (S)
Magnets Silicon (Si)
True Alloys False
Alloying is used to raise the hardness of the metal
Alloying lowers the melting point
Alloys do not rust as quickly
Alloying alters the chemical activity of the metal
Alloying doesn’t alter the colour
Gold and silver are alloyed with copper to improve the
colour
**
