Copper

The word copper is derived from the Latin word cuprum because during the roman era copper was mined extensively on the fields of Cyprus. So gradually the original word cyprium which meant the metal of Cyprus was known to be as cuprum. During roman era itself copper metal and alloys were used extensively in construction of buildings, especially to decorate monuments and palaces. For copper plays very crucial role in decorative art and can be used as metal and salt for their distinguished features.

History and availability

Copper perhaps was identified and was put into use by human beings in the same period as silver and gold and even in the electron structure they possess some form of similarity in high thermal and electrical conductivity. This metal is highly useful for industrial and commercial needs often in so called poly-crystalline form rather than mono-crystalline form for its strength and differences in sizes.  

Chile is the top producer of copper in the world, though copper mines are found in many parts of the world specifically in countries like USA, Mexico, Indonesia, Peru and Zambia. Archaeological studies reveal that copper has been in use for nearly 10,000 years but majority of them have been extracted in the current century. This metal is in reserves for another 60 years with the availability and another boon is that this is highly recyclable like the iron and aluminum.

Usages in architecture

Only 2% of the copper are used in the agricultural and in the production of fungicides and majority of them is used as a metal. Another important and notable quality of this copper is the protection against radiation for this copper is mixed with clothes in chemical places to absorb the radiations. Used as thermal conductor, an electrical conductor and as pipelines this metal plays various roles in the field of civil engineering.

And since copper is waterproof it can also be used as roof of many buildings and there are many examples from the past where copper was extensively used as roof and in various parts of the building. And because of the quality of highly resistant against corrosion this roof lasts long but the color may turn to green due to chemical reaction. Above such buildings their usage is great in terms of lightning rods often we might notice a copper cable which receives the electric current and scatters into the ground harmlessly. It can be brazed and welded so excellent results are received through gas metal arc welding.

Questions:

• Define copper.
• State some of the significant usages of copper.