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Alloys

An alloy is a mixture of different metals.

Use of alloys

Use of alloys

  • Alloys are useful because they tend to be harder than pure metals
Pure metals

Pure metals

  • Pure metals have atoms that are arranged in layers.
  • These layers can slide over each other.
  • This makes them soft and also malleable.
Alloys are strong

Alloys are strong

  • Alloys have metal atoms of different sizes, that are mixed up with each other.
  • This means the atoms are not arranged in layers and it becomes distorted.
  • It is harder for them to slide over each other.
    • This makes them stronger.
Steel

Steel

  • Steel is an alloy.
  • It is made by adding carbon to iron.
  • This makes steel harder than pure iron.
Common alloys include:

Common alloys include:

  • Brass – Copper and Zinc – Used for making coins
  • Bronze – Copper and Tin – Making bells
  • Rose Gold – Gold and Copper – Jewellery
The elements that make up an alloy

The elements that make up an alloy

  • Alloys often have physical and chemical properties from those elements that made them up.
  • They may become denser and they may have higher melting points.
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