About 5000 years ago, it was discovered that when copper and tin were melted together, a new material was produced that was harder than either metal separately. This material was called Bronze. Armor and tools were made for it and a period in history was named the Bronze Age. Alloys have properties that are different from the properties of the materials that went into them. An amalgam is an alloy that contains mercury, which is a soft liquid metal.
Dental amalgams are mixtures of mercury, silver, and zinc.
These metals are used because they are soft and can be kneaded into the cavity, while the chemical reactions that go on in your mouth harden them. These amalgams are more commonly known as fillings. Most metallic objects are manufactured from alloys. Steel is an alloy of carbon with other metals. Steel production is greater than that of any other alloy.