Periodic Table

Copper

Transition Metal

Quick Facts about Copper

Ni
  • solid- state of matter at room temperature
  • Stable- has at least one stable isotope
  • +2, +1- common oxidation states in compounds
  • FCC- crystal structure, atomic arrangement in solid form
Zn

Copper (Cu) is element 29 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Cu: 63.5460 u. Cu is in period 4, group 11. Melting point of Cu: 1357.77 K.Density of Cu: 8.96 g/cm³.

Why Copper Matters

The first metal humans mastered—still essential 10,000 years later

In Your Home

  • All electrical wiring in your walls
  • Copper pipes for plumbing
  • Pots, pans, and cookware
  • Pennies (before 1982 were 95% copper)

Industry Uses

Electrical60% of copper goes to wiring and cables
ConstructionRoofing, plumbing, and architectural elements
TransportationElectric vehicles use 4x more copper than gas cars
Renewable EnergyWind turbines and solar systems need significant copper

In Your Body

✓ Essential for life

Essential trace element for enzyme function, iron absorption, and nervous system. Your body contains about 100mg. Deficiency causes anemia and bone problems.

Safety: Excess copper causes liver damage (Wilson's disease). Copper sulfate is toxic if ingested. Acidic foods in copper cookware can leach harmful amounts.

Discovery of Copper

Discovered by Known to the ancients.,

Name origin: Symbol from Latin: cuprum (island of Cyprus famed for its copper mines).

History & Events

9000 BCE
First Metal Used
Copper was humanity's first metal, found as native copper and easily shaped
3300 BCE
Bronze Age
Alloying copper with tin created bronze, revolutionizing tools and weapons
1886
Statue of Liberty
300 copper sheets form Liberty's iconic green patina (oxidized copper)

Why "Cu" for Copper?

CuCuprum(Latin)

The symbol Cu comes from "Cuprum," Latin for copper, derived from "Cyprium aes" meaning "metal from Cyprus," where copper was extensively mined in ancient times.

About Copper

Red-brown transition element. Known by the Romans as 'cuprum.' Extracted and used for thousands of years. Malleable, ductile and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. When in moist conditions, a greenish layer forms on the outside.

Atomic Properties of Cu

Atomic Number of Cu
29
Atomic Mass of Cu
63.5460 u
Electron Configuration
[Ar] 3d10 4s1
Electronegativity
1.90
Block
d-block
Group
11
Period
4

Physical Properties of Cu

Phase (STP)
solid
Melting Point of Cu
1357.77 K
Boiling Point of Cu
2835.00 K
Density of Cu
8.9600 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Heat of Fusion
13.01 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
304.60 kJ/mol
Specific Heat
0.39 J/g·K
Molar Heat Capacity
24.44 J/mol·K
Thermal Conductivity
401.00 W/m·K

Atomic Radii

Calculated
135 pm
Covalent
112 pm
Van der Waals
196 pm
Metallic
118 pm

Common Misconceptions

Wrong:Copper bracelets cure arthritis.
Correct:No scientific evidence supports this. The placebo effect is strong, but copper has no proven benefit for joint pain.
Wrong:Pennies are made of copper.
Correct:Since 1982, US pennies are 97.5% zinc with thin copper plating. Pre-1982 pennies were 95% copper.
Wrong:The Statue of Liberty turned green from pollution.
Correct:The green color (patina) is natural copper oxidation that protects the metal underneath. It would happen anywhere.

Isotopes of Copper

Copper has 2 naturally occurring isotopes, plus 2 notable radioactive isotopes.

IsotopeAtomic Mass (u)AbundanceHalf-LifeDecay Mode
6229Cu (Cu-62)Copper-62 isotope61.9325840%9.67 minutesβ⁺
6329Cu (Cu-63)Copper-63 isotope62.9295977269.15%——
6429Cu (Cu-64)Copper-64 isotope63.92976420%12.7 hoursβ⁺, β⁻, EC
6529Cu (Cu-65)Copper-65 isotope64.927789730.85%——

Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)

Isotope Applications

Isotopes of Copper have important real-world applications in science and industry.

Medical Applications

The radiopharmaceutical 62Cu-PTSM, which contains radioactive 62Cu (with a half-life of 9.7 min), is used as a tracer in positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify myocardial perfusion (heart blood-flow measurements) [238], [239]. The radioisotope 64Cu (with a half-life of 12.7 h) is used for PET imaging and radiotherapy to diagnose, understand, and monitor disease (Fig. IUPAC.29.2) [238], [240]. The stable isotope 65Cu has been used as a tracer to study copper absorption, utilization, and excretion in humans [241], [242].

Abundance

Earth's Crust
60.0 mg/kg
Seawater
2.50×10-4 mg/L

Uses

Most often used as an electrical conductor. Also used in the manufacture of water pipes. Its alloys are used in jewelry and for coins.

Sources

Pure copper occurs rarely in nature. Usually found in sulfides as in chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), coveline (CuS), chalcosine (Cu2S) or oxides like cuprite (Cu2O).

Geochemistry

Goldschmidt
chalcophile
Geochemical Class
first series transition metal

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