Bronze

an alloy of copper. The name is related to brown. Copper forms from seventy to ninety per cent of the alloy. Other metals entering in are tin and zinc. Bronze used for bells contains as high as twenty-five per cent of tin. The bronze used formerly for cannon contained about ten per cent of tin and a small amount of zinc. The bronze used in making statuary varies greatly in composition. Some statues are made of brass almost pure. Others contain from one to twenty-five per cent of tin, zinc, or sometimes lead. Bronze has been improved by the addition of a fraction of one per cent of phosphorus. An alloy of copper and aluminum, called aluminum bronze, has great tensile strength. Bronze was known to the ancients. In fact, the use of bronze preceded that of iron and steel, and gave the name to the so-called Bronze Age. For many purposes bronze is superior to iron. It is a tough metal not subject to rust. The ancients found it very satisfactory for swords, axes, and edged tools. This, before they were familiar with methods of making steel. See Brass; Bell; Alloy