Sculptures are usually made with bronze.
The idea of bronze comes from the Italian word bronzo , which in turn derives from the Latin Brundŭsi ( Bríndisi ). Brindisi is an Italian city that became known in ancient times for its production of this element.
An alloy of copper and tin is called bronze. An alloy, meanwhile, is a product formed by two or more chemical elements that are fused , at least one of them being a metal .
As we indicated above, bronze is formed with copper and tin . Copper, symbol Cu , is a metal with atomic number 29 . Tin (symbol Sn ) is another metal, in this case with atomic number 50 . Sometimes other components, such as zinc , are added to bronze.
History of bronze
Copper is the base of bronze, while tin appears in a much smaller proportion. This alloy was very important in the progress of human beings, even giving its name to the period known as the Bronze Age (which is characterized by the emergence of this type of metallurgy).
Archaeological finds allow us to assume that the first alloys of this class were made about 4,000 years before Christ . At that time, minerals such as malachite and chalcopyrite began to be fused with cassiterite to achieve their reduction to copper and tin, respectively. This process was carried out in ovens that were fueled with charcoal.
It should be noted that, when an alloy of copper and zinc is made, brass is obtained. Today it is common for copper, tin and zinc to be fused simultaneously, so the differences between bronze and brass are diffuse.
Properties and uses of the alloy
Bronze, with a reddish yellowish hue, stands out for its tenacity and ductility . It also has a high specific heat, being used many times to transfer heat .
The uses of bronze are multiple. Throughout history it has allowed us to manufacture utensils of all kinds, weapons , sculptures , jewelry and coins , to name a few products.
Whoever finishes a competition in third place usually receives a bronze medal.
Thanks to its resistance to corrosion and friction , bronze is also used to develop musical instruments such as saxophones , bells and cymbals , as well as piano , guitar and harp strings. On the other hand, bronze is used to make parts for gears and mechanical devices .
bronze medal
In many sports competitions, there is a tradition of awarding a bronze medal to those who finish their participation in third place or position . This is what happens in the Olympic Games .
Whoever wins the competition is awarded a gold medal , while whoever finishes in second place receives a silver medal . The podium , then, is completed with the bronze medal for the competitor who places third.
Take the case of men's basketball at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games . Twelve teams participated in the tournament, divided into two groups during the first phase. The teams that finished in the first four positions of each group qualified for the quarterfinals. At the end of the competition, the United States became champion and won the gold medal, Serbia was runner-up and won the silver medal and Spain reached third place, winning the bronze medal.