Question

Give reason for the following:

Copper is malleable and ductile but brass is hard and brittle.

Answer 1

Copper a metal but brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. In copper, the layers of kernels can sip over each other. As a result, itis malleable and ductile. In brass, as some copper atoms are replaced by zinc atoms, the properties change. The layers cannot sip over each other. Hence it becomes hard and brittle.