Properties of Brass and Steel Alloys

When working with natural gas, a spark can mean danger. Brass tools are often used to reduce the chances of sparks being produced when working on metal pipes, whereas a steel hammer can produce unwanted sparks. In general, brass alloys are unlikely to produce sparks while steel alloys are more likely to generate sparks. Understanding the chemical structures of these alloys can help explain these properties.

Driving Question

• Why are brass tools, rather than steel tools, used in combustible environments?

Probing Questions

• What is an “alloy”?
• What type of alloy is brass? Steel?
• How does the type of alloy affect the physical properties of the material?
• How do the properties of brass make it a good choice for a combustible environment?

Classroom Suggestions

Students could:

• Complete a the lab experiment Metals and Alloys Lab (Student handout, Teacher answer key)
• Complete the Turning Copper Pennies into “Silver” and “Gold”! experiment.
• Complete the Determination of Copper in Brass experiment.

Relevant Related Resources

• Modern Materials and the Solid State | Chemistry: Unit 13:This half-hour video explores the chemistry of solid-state materials. Chemists take advantage of the complexity of solids to engineer new materials, including nanoparticles, polymers, and advanced metal alloys.
• The Elemental Compositions of Metal Alloys::Infographic about a variety of alloys.
• How Do Blacksmiths Make Swords? :Video from Reactions (American Chemical Society) including a Spark Test.
• NOVA Hunting the Elements | Atomic Structure of an Alloy: Explore how the atomic structure of a metal determines its properties, such as conductivity and malleability, and how combining metals can create a new material with different properties.