Cu - Copper

Atomic Number: 29 Period Number: 4 Group Number: 11

Copper is a ductile, high thermal and electrical conductivity metal, which has been used for over thousands of years. There are 29 isotopes of copper and two of them are stale - ⁶³Cu and ⁶⁵Cu. Copper and copper alloy are widely used in making coins and jewelry. Copper is also an excellent conductor of electricity, as such one of its main industrial usage is for the production of cable, wire and electrical products for both the electrical and building industries. This is because copper has very good electrical conductance and also has good resistance of corrosion from the air and water. The construction industry also accounts for copper's second largest usage in such areas as pipes for plumbing, heating and ventilating as well as building wire and sheet metal facings.

Copper has a wide spectrum of effectiveness against the many biological agents of timber and fabric decay. It renders them unpalatable to insects and protects them from fungus attack. Copper sulphate (CuSO₄) has been in use since 1838 for preserving timber and is today the base for many proprietary wood preservatives. Other compounds, such as Copper Oxide (CuO), is used in anti-fouling paint.

Physical and Chemical properties:

Atomic Weight: 63.546

Melting Point: 1357.77 K

Boiling Point: 2835 K

Density: 8.933 g/cm³

Phase at Room Temperature: Solid

Element Classification: Metal

Ionization Energy: 7.726 eV

Oxidation States: +2, +1