One of the most important resources on planet earth, metal has helped human civilisation advance in a way that no other species has ever been able to before. Although metal is ubiquitous in our everyday lives, it’s probably not something you think about all that often. This week, we delve into the secret life of metal with ten interesting facts.

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  1. The most abundant metal on Earth is iron, and it makes up most of the Earth’s core. The Earth’s crust on the other hand, is primarily aluminium.
  2. Until the middle ages, there were only seven types of known metal including bronze, silver, lead, copper, mercury, iron and of course gold.
  3. Brass is naturally antibacterial and that’s the reason why it is so commonly in public buildings for finishings like doorknobs and handrails.
  4. The iconic Eiffel Tower is six inches taller during the summer months than it is during winter. This is because the iron and steel which the landmark is made of expands and contracts according to temperature.
  5. If two pieces of uncoated metals touch, they permanently fuse together. On Earth, this doesn’t happen because the atmosphere puts a thin layer of oxidation between the metals, acting as a barrier.
  6. The best metal for conducting electricity is silver, but it’s high cost means that in most commercial electrical products, copper is used instead
  7. Structural steel played an integral role in the construction of the first sky scraper in 1883. The building constructed was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago and it was demolished 47 years later in 1931.
  8. The word metal is a derivative of the Greek word ‘metallon’ meaning to quarry, mine or excavate.
  9. 75% of the elements on the periodic table are metals. There are 118 known elements and 91 of them are metals. A number of the remaining 27 elements possess characteristics of metals and are referred to as semimetals or metalloids.
  10. Mercury has the lowest melting point of all metals and is the only one which is in liquid form at ordinary room temperature. However, there are a number of other metals with a very low melting point. Gallium for example, can be melted in the palm of your hand.

 

Acra are well established sheet metal machinery suppliers with extensive industry experience and expertise. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 9794 6675.