銅，COPPER，源自Cuprum，是以產銅出(chu)名(ming)的(de)塞(sai)浦(pu)路斯(si)島(dao)的(de)古名(ming)，早為人類所熟知。它和(he)金是僅有(you)的(de)兩種帶有(you)除灰白黑(hei)以外(wai)色彩的(de)金屬。銅與金的(de)合金，可制成各(ge)種飾物和(he)用(yong)具。參(can)加鋅則為黃銅；加進錫即成青銅。美國的(de)一(yi)分錢就(jiu)是青銅做成的(de)。

銅的發現簡史

銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)是古代就現已知(zhi)道的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)屬(shu)之一(yi)(yi)。一(yi)(yi)般以(yi)為人(ren)(ren)類(lei)知(zhi)道的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de) 種(zhong)金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)屬(shu)是金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)，其次就是銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)。銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)在自(zi)然界(jie)儲量十分豐富，而(er)且加工(gong)(gong)便利。銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)是人(ren)(ren)類(lei)用(yong)于出產的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de) 種(zhong)金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)屬(shu)，開始人(ren)(ren)們(men)運用(yong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)僅(jin)僅(jin)存在于自(zi)然界(jie)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)天然單質銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)，用(yong)石斧把(ba)(ba)(ba)它砍(kan)下來，便能夠錘打成(cheng)多(duo)種(zhong)器物。跟著(zhu)出產的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)開展，僅(jin)僅(jin)運用(yong)天然銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)制作的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)出產工(gong)(gong)具就不足(zu)應用(yong)了(le)，出產的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)開展促進人(ren)(ren)們(men)找到(dao)了(le)從銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦中(zhong)獲(huo)得銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)辦法。含銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)礦藏比較(jiao)多(duo)見，大多(duo)具有艷麗而(er)有目共睹(du)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)色(se)彩，例如：金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)黃色(se)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)黃銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦CuFeS2，鮮綠(lv)色(se)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)孔雀(que)石CuCO3Cu(OH)2，深藍(lan)色(se)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)石青2CuCO3Cu(OH)2等(deng)，把(ba)(ba)(ba)這些礦石在空氣中(zhong)焙(bei)燒后構成(cheng)氧化銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)CuO，再用(yong)碳復原，就得到(dao)金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)屬(shu)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)。純銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)制成(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)器物太軟，易(yi)曲折。人(ren)(ren)們(men)發現把(ba)(ba)(ba)錫(xi)摻到(dao)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)里去，能夠制成(cheng)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)錫(xi)合金(jin)(jin)(jin)(jin)——青銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)。青銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)比純銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)堅固(gu)，使人(ren)(ren)們(men)制成(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)勞動工(gong)(gong)具和兵器有了(le)很(hen)大改善，人(ren)(ren)類(lei)進入了(le)青銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)時代，完畢了(le)人(ren)(ren)類(lei)歷史上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)新石器時代。

西方傳說，古代地中海的(de)(de)塞浦路斯Cyprus島是出產(chan)銅的(de)(de)當地，因(yin)而(er)由(you)此得到拉丁文(wen)稱(cheng)(cheng)號Cuprum和它的(de)(de)化(hua)學符號Cu，銅的(de)(de)英文(wen)稱(cheng)(cheng)號是Copper。