Page 70 - The Periodic Table Book
P. 70

29
             Cu     Copper

                                                                                                  State: Solid
                                                                                   29    29    35  Discovery: Prehistoric

       Transition Metals             on limonite  often formed.                   Malachite Pellets of pure copper
             Forms
                                                                                                     Unique reddish
                                                   In caves,
                                                                                                      orange colour
                                                  feather-like
                                                  crystals are




                                      Copper growth

                                                These golden                            refined in a laboratory
                                               yellow crystals
                                            contain copper sulfide.


                Branchlike
                crystals
                of  copper









                                                                     Chalcopyrite


                                                                                  Colourful tarnish
                                                                                  develops when the
                                                                                  mineral reacts with air.




                                                                                              Bornite

                                                                                                      Crustacean blood











                                                                                    Crustacean blood is blue
                                                                                     because it contains copper.


           Copper is a soft, bendy metal that is an            Copper is the only metal that has a reddish
           excellent conductor of electricity and heat.  colour in its pure form. Pure copper is mainly
           Although it is one of the few elements found        used as wires in electrical equipment. Copper
           pure in nature, most of it exists in ores such as   wire wrapped around an iron core and then
           chalcopyrite. Other copper minerals, such as        electrified helps create an electromagnet. Because
    68     malachite and azurite, are brightly coloured.       they can be switched on or off, electromagnets can





   068-069_Copper.indd   68                                                                                      12/12/16   5:38 pm
   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75