You may not realize it, but there’s probably copper near you right now. The reddish, extremely ductile metal is soft, malleable, and has a very high thermal and electrical conductivity. It’s often used for pipes, such as the heating pipes in your house. But there are several other weird facts about copper you might not know. Check out these seven fun facts and explore an element of the periodic table a little more.
7. Humans have used copper for at least 10,000 years
Starting at seventh for weird facts about copper focuses on the human experience with copper. People have mined and worked with copper for at least 10,000 years, supported by the discovery of Ötzi, the glacier mummy in the Ötztal Alps left with a 99.7% pure copper axe tracing back to 3300 BCE. It is also thought that Neolithic communities used copper as an alternative to stone tools around 8,000 BC.
6. Copper is a component of bronze and brass
Next up on our weird facts about copper list is the true versatility of copper in other forms, such as bronze and brass. Copper can be alloyed with tin to make bronze and with zinc to make brass, being the main component in both. The copper serves as a base metal for the alloys, providing properties like malleability, conductivity, and corrosion resistance. This allows the metals to be stronger and used for things like statues.
5. Copper prevents barnacles from attaching to ships
Oddly enough, our fifth selection for weird facts about copper has to do with barnacles. When ships were paramount in the middle of the 18th century, the maritime industry often struggled with mussels, barnacles, and other sea life attaching to the ship’s hull. After the discovery that copper is toxic to invertebrates, the shipping industry created copper sheathing to deter sea life from attaching to the ships, and the practice is still used today.
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4. All gold contains some amount of copper
Our fourth choice for weird facts about copper deals with some pretty valuable metal. All gold contains some level of copper, even 24 karat. This is due to how soft gold is and needs some copper to be added to avoid being molded with your hands. After gold is alloyed with copper, it increases its durability and hardness, keeping your jewelry the shape it was made to be.
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3. Copper is 100% recyclable
Next up on our list of weird facts about copper is the sustainability of the metal. Copper is 100% recyclable, and nearly 80% of the copper that has been produced is still used today. This is because copper can be recycled without any changes to its chemical or physical properties, retaining 95% of its original value. Copper has the longest recycling history of any material, and requires 85% less energy than mining more from the ground.
2. The average home uses 400 pounds of copper
Yes, you read that right. Our second pick for weird facts about copper focuses on the staggering amount in each person’s home. On average, a home contains 400 pounds of copper, used for electrical wiring, pipes, appliances, and hardware. If you break down the numbers, around 195 pounds would be for building wire, 151 pounds for plumbing, and additional amounts for appliances and hardware. This is due to copper’s ideal conductivity, making it perfect for electric and plumbing.
1. Copper is naturally antibacterial
The number one selection for weird facts about copper is the incredible natural properties of the metal. Copper is a natural antibacterial agent, which means when bacteria, fungi, or viruses land on the surface, electrically charged ion particles destroy the ability to mutate or build resistance. This is why copper is a popular choice for doorknobs, handrails, and finger plates in public buildings to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria. Copper can even be woven into clothing to make anti-microbial garments, like socks to combat foot fungus.
