Brass

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Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic, and chemical properties but are generally greater in copper by 2:1. In use since prehistoric times, it is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other within the same crystal structure. Brass is similar to bronze, a copper alloy that contains tin instead of zinc. Both bronze and brass may include small amounts of a range of other elements, including arsenic, lead, phosphorus, aluminium, manganese, silicon, and (in marine brass) tin. Historically, the distinction between the two alloys has been inconsistent, and increasingly museums use the more general term "copper alloy". Brass has long been popular for its bright, golden appearance and used for cabinetry and furniture fittings such as drawer pulls, hinges, and doorknobs. It has also been widely used for sculpture and utensils because of its low melting point, high workability...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Muhammad Zaman al-Munajjim al-Asturlabi, CC0