Copper
This is a temporary page created for the sole purpose of converting the current Copper article over to the new format agreed upon in Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Elements/Archive 1. When this process is complete the content in this page will be moved to the main article and any relevant edits made to that version will be incorporated into this version (this page will then be deleted from the database). For an example of what this article will look like when complete, please visit Beryllium, for a clean copy of the template used here please visit WikiProject Elements. See also periodic table to view the color scheme.
| General | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name, Symbol, Number | Copper, Cu, 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chemical series | transition metals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Group, Period, Block | 11 , 4 , d | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Density, Hardness | 8920 kg/m3, 3.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearance | copper, metallic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic Properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic weight | 63.536 amu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic radius (calc.) | 135 (145) pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Covalent radius | 138 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| van der Waals radius | 140 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electron configuration | [Ar]3d104s1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| e- 's per energy level | 2, 8, 18, 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oxidation states (Oxide) | 2,1 (mildly basic) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystal structure | face centered cubic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical Properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| State of matter | solid (__) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melting point | 1357.6 K (1984.3 °F) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boiling point | 2840 K (4653 °F) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Molar volume | __ ×10-3 m3/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heat of vaporization | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heat of fusion | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vapor pressure | __ Pa at __ K | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Velocity of sound | __ m/s at 293.15 K | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electronegativity | __ (Pauling scale) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specific heat capacity | __ J/(kg*K) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrical conductivity | __ 106/m ohm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thermal conductivity | __ W/(m*K) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st ionization potential | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd ionization potential | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd ionization potential | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th ionization potential | __ kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most Stable Isotopes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SI units & STP are used except where noted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copper is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.
Notable Characteristics
Copper is a reddish-coloured metal, with a high electrical and thermal conductivity. Copper is one of the metals discovered and used from the earliest times, as besides being found in various ores, it can actually be found in the metallic form (`Native copper') in some locations.
In Greek times, the metal was known by the name Chalkos. In Roman times, it became known as aes Cyprium, because so much of it was mined in Cyprus. From this, the phrase was simplified to cuprum and then Anglicized into the English copper.
Applications
- Copper wire
- Copper plumbing
- Statue of Liberty
- electromagnets
- motors, esp electromagnetic motors.
- Watt's steam engine
- increasing use of copper in integrated circuits, replacing aluminum because of its superior conductivity.
- musical instruments
History
Copper was known to some of the oldest civilizations on record, and has a history of use that is at least 10,000 years old. A copper pendant was found in what is now northern Iraq that dates to 8700 BC. There are copper and bronze artifacts from Sumerian cities that date to 3000 BC, and Egyptian artifacts in copper and copper alloyed with tin nearly as old. In one pyramid, a copper plumbing system was found that is 5000 years old. The Egyptians found that adding a small amount of tin made the metal easier to cast, so bronze alloys are found in Egypt almost as soon as copper is found. Use of copper in ancient China dates to at least 2000 BC. By 1200 BC excellent bronzes were being made in China. Note that these dates are affected by wars and conquest, as copper is easily melted down and reused.
Brass was known to the Greeks but first used extensively by the Romans.
Biological Role
Copper is essential in all higher plants and animals. Copper is found in a variety of enzymes, including the copper centers of cytochrome c oxidase, the Cu-Zn containing enzyme superoxide dismutase, and is the central metal in the oxygen carrying pigment hemocyanin.
The RDA for copper in normal healthy adults is 0.9 mg/day.
Occurrence
Compounds
There are numerous alloys of copper - Brass is a copper/zinc alloy, and bronze is a copper/tin alloy.
Common oxidation states of copper include the cuprous state, Cu+1, and cupric state, Cu+2.
Copper oxide is green from which arises the unique appearance of copper-clad roofs or domes on some buildings.
Copper oxides (e.g. Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide or YBaCuO) form the basis of many unconventional superconductors
Other compounds : sulfides
Isotopes
Precautions
All copper compounds, unless otherwise known, should be treated as if they were toxic.The metal, when powdered, is a fire hazard. 30g of copper sulfate is potentially lethal in humans. Copper in drinking water at concentrations higher than 1 mg/liter can stain clothes and items washed in water. The suggested safe level of copper in drinking water for humans varies depending on the source, but tends to be pegged at 1.5 to 2 mg/liter.
External Links
External links used only for conversion (please delete before pasting into main article)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory - Copper
- USGS Copper Statistics and Information
- http://dict.org (input the name of the element)
- USGS Periodic Table - Copper
Notes
- Even though this text was paid for by CA State and US Federal tax dollars, it may be covered by a semi-proprietary license held by the UC Regents and therefore needs to be slightly rewritten so that it passes the Google test (specifically they don't allow for commercial redistribution without permission which is not compatible with our license). The UC Regents claims copyright on most texts at LANL and the 3 emails I sent to them requesting the status of the perio text were never answered. In addition, the LANL periodic table hasn't been touched since 1997 but it has won several awards. --mav
- This is public domain material and can be copied verbatim but it isn't available for every element. The text may also be under a different name. They sometimes combine entries, such as iron and steel. If nothing comes up, then look for the element at http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/ .
- These databases are covered by more or less public domain licenses. The main thing that is asked for is some attribution (which isn't mandatory but would be nice to have on talk pages). This material is useful when creating the definition/introduction paragraphs.
- This is public domain isotope info and can be copied verbatim but it is very technical and usually only the first paragraph or two are useable at all (the focus of the USGS perio table is hydrology and we needn't fill our perio table with material that is that specialized). Not all elements are included in this source. Several months ago I ported over all the elements that they then had. Since then, however, they seem to have either added more elements to their database or I somehow missed some. --mav