Question

Brass is an alloy of:
A. Cu, Sn
B. Cu, Zn
C. Cu, Al
D. Sn, Pb

Answer 1

Hint: Brass is an alloy of a group 11 and group 12 element. Proportions of constituent metals can be varied to vary properties of Brass.

Complete step by step answer:
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The proportions of Copper and Zinc can be varied to get varying mechanical and electrical properties. Brass is more or less similar to Bronze, which is an alloy of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn). Both bronze and brass may have a variety of other elements like arsenic, lead, phosphorus, aluminium, manganese, and silicon.
Brass is a popular decorating material due to its bright gold-like appearance. It is also used for making utensils. The composition of Brass is generally 66% copper and 34% zinc. To enhance the machinability of brass, lead is added in concentrations of around 2%.

Additional information:
Some properties of Brass are:
It has higher malleability than bronze.
It has a relatively lower melting point than bronze.
The properties of Brass can be varied by varying the percentages of copper and zinc.
It is a recyclable metal. Almost 90% of brass alloys are recycled. This is possible because brass is not ferromagnetic.
Aluminium can make brass stronger and corrosion resistant.
Brass corrodes in the presence of moisture.

Note: Don’t confuse between brass and bronze. Brass is an alloy of Cu and Zn while bronze is an alloy of Cu and Sn. They are almost look-alike.