GREEN BATHTUB- Copper

Copper...
COPPER FACTS: (from New Universal Encyclopedia)
One of the first metals to be utilised by man. Copper items have been found dating back to 6000BC in Egypt. Smelting began about 3500-3000BC. Until the 18th century copper was used mainly for decorative purposes, but with the discovery of electricity it has become invaluable to this industry because of its high conductivity.	PROPERTIES OF THE PURE METAL: An element with the symbol Cu (Latin. cuprum). It falls in the first group of the periodic table, as do gold and silver as it has one free valency electron. Copper is readily soluble in dilute or concentrated nitric acid. Dilute hydrochloric or sulphuric acids will not attack it unless air is present or it is in contact with platinum; even then the action is slow. Heated acids will dissolve it. Dry air leaves copper almost unaffected, but the presence of atmospheric carbon dioxide and moisture causes it to become coated with a green patina of basic carbonate. Its strength, malleability, and corrosion resistence allow it to be used in many industries. The addition of arsenic gives greater strength and corrosion resistence, arsenic copper being used in the engineering industry for boiler tubes, condensers, shafts, etc.
- A Sanskrit record of how to purify water - Boil it and dip a piece of copper into it seven times.	SALTS OF COPPER: Hydrated copper oxide dissolved in ammonia solution possesses the power of dissolving cellulose, and is used in the preparation of Willesden paper and fabrics. Copper is also used for making green paint pigments.
THE PARTICLE THEORY: (from Everyday Science) Ch4 p19) "The particle theory may be used to explain conduction of heat. According to this theory the particles of a substance vibrate more rapidly when the substance is heated. Adjoining particles are then bumped and set in motion. These in turn set the next lot in motion and heat is thus conducted from the heated end to the other end of the substance."
CHEMCIAL CONTROL OF ALGAE IN FARM DAMS: (from DPI Qld. WaterNotes):	Copper sulphate (Bluestone) is the most common and cheapest form of copper used as an algicide, but chelated copper (Coptrol) has some distinct advantages in many situations. (Concentrated copper sulphate is very corrosive to metals, though once diluted in water at the recommended concentration, it is relatively non-corrosive.) Copper is a heavy metal and when present in high concentrations, it can have an adverse impact on a storage's ecology.

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LAST UPDATED- 2.5.02