The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-03-10
Properties OF Metals


All metals are solid except mereu-
~ or quicksilver, which is fluid I'M
der ordinary temperature. Gold,
silver, iron, copper, mercury, tin'
lead and zinc, are the principal use
fuI metals. Gold is more malleable
than sny other metal. 1t does not
tarnish by exposure to air or water
Malleable means capable of being
drawn out and extending by heating.
A single grain of gold may be beaten
to cover a surface Of nearly thirty
square yards. Silver is supposed to
be the best conductor of heat and
electricity, hence the silver points on
lightning rods, Iron is more ductile
than any other known metal and is
strongly attracted by the magnet.
An iron wire one t%hirty-sixth of an
inch in diameter will sustain or sup
port a weight of sixty pounds. The
great difference between iron and
other metals is 10 its hardness aud by
q peculiar process it may be convert
ed into steel, which is so hard that
it will cut any known substance eE
cept the diamond. Copper is very
malleable aud ductile. 1t is hard,
elastic and sonorous. Copper was
6rst wrought by the Greeks of the
island Of Cyprus-whence it derives
its name. Verdigris is made of the
rust of copper. Mercury is q fuidi
it is of a siIvery white color; it POS
sesses a high degree of luster aud
readily expands aud contracts with
changes Of temperature, hence 1t is a
suitable fluid for the tubes OF Their
mometers. The color known as YER
million, and the medicine called caio-
mel, are prepared from quicksilver or
mercury. Tin has Q silYery white
ness and brilIiancy, and is very NAL.
leable. Plates of lin called tinfoll
are so thin that 1000 of them are
only one inch in thickness. Sheet tin
is sheet iron dipped into melted tin,
a portion of which adheres to the
surface as tin, and another enters into
the iron and alloys it. This kind OF
tin is used in the manufacture OF
pans and other utensils. The an
clients are supposed to have made
use of tin; and there is a good rea-
son for believing that it was obtain
ed BY the Phoenicians, from Corn:
wall aud Spain, at least 1000 years
!, before Christ. Lead is a very sof.
metal, being easily arked by the
; finger nail. 1t is very malleable, and
may be rolled into very thin plates.
n Water pipes made Of lead are easily
acted on by soft water containing
|, oxygen and carbonic acid, and, as
lead is poisonous, the particles con-
tanned 10 the water render 1t un-
! wholesome. Spring water has not
the same effect on lead, because i
contains more mineral salts of vari-
Gus kinds, which prevent the decom-
position Of the lead. Lead is useful
in the arts. White lead and red
used by painters are made from lead.
} Litharge is also a preparation of lead.
: Shot are made of an alloy, or COM
pound of lead and arsenic. The ar
senic serves to render the lead more
hard aud brittle, Zinc is not readily
acted on by the air or water. For
this reason it is used for roofing, lin
ing of re~frigerators, cutters, &c, and
is also employed for coating iron to
prevent rusting. Iron coated with
zinc, is called galvanized iron. Zinc
is used 10 the construction of voltaie
or ~gaIyanic batteries. In commerce
zinc is known by the name Of spell
ter. Large quantities are obtained
from tho mines of Silesia. An alloy
is the combination of one or more
metals. The principal alloys are
bronze, bell metal, brass, pewter,
German silver, Britannia metal, sol
ders, &c. Bronze is an alloy of cop
, per and tin. 1t is used for statues
and otheg works Of art. Guns and
: cannon for field service gre made OF
: bronEe. Bell metal is Q mixt4re OF
. copper and tin, but contains more tin
! than bronze does. 1t cannot be melt
: ed unless birthstone is put ir the fur
t mace with the metal. Brass is an
alloy composed of copper and tin.
2 Pewter is an alloy of tin and lead.
German silger is an alloy of copper,
zinc, s~ndsnicke,. britannia metal is
an alloy Of tin With lead, copper,
jEinc, antimony, &c., according to its
i. quality. Solder is q mixture Of lead
: and tin-tinBoF's solder, one part tiE
: and two of lead.