Common metals and their uses

• Common metals include:
• aluminium
• iron and
• copper

Copper

• is a soft, malleable and ductile metal with very high heat and electrical conductivity
• has a reddish-orange color
• It is used in thermostat, in electrical wiring
• It is also mixed with other metals to form brass and bronze

Iron

• It is one of the most common elements on earth
• It is used to roof and build structures

Aluminium

• Is the most abundant metal on earth
• It is one of the most used metals
• It is strong, light , does not corrode
• It is expensive to extract from its ore
• It is a good conductor of heat and is thus used to make kettles, pots and other utensils
• It is a good electrical conductor and because it is light it is used in high voltage overhead wires
• It can be polished to make reflectors
• It can be rolled to make aluminium foil for wrapping and heat insulation
• Duralumin –is an alloy of aluminium and copper
• It is light and has great tensile strength
• It is used to make aircraft bodies, rivets, bars, sheets and tubes

To access more topics go to the Combined Science Notes page.