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Copper | |||
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.
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.
The use of bronze was so pervasive in a certain era of civilization that it has been named the Bronze Age.
Brass was known to the Greeks but first used extensively by the Romans.
Copper is carried mostly in the bloodstream on a plasma protein[?] called ceruloplasmin[?]. Though when copper is first absorbed in the gut it is transported to the liver bound to albumin.
An inherited condition called Wilson's disease causes the body to retain copper, as it isn't excreted by the liver into the bile. This disease, if untreated, can lead to brain and liver damage.
Common oxidation states of copper include the cuprous state, Cu+1, and cupric state, Cu+2.
Copper carbonate 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 (YBa2Cu3O7-δ) or YBCO[?]) form the basis of many unconventional superconductors
Other compounds : copper sulfide
How oft and how oft shall their story be told,
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