Examples of alloys are brass, bronze, pewter and steel. Precious metals such as gold and silver are also alloyed with other metals to make durable jewelry.
Bronze is considered the earliest alloy to be used by humans and was probably discovered when copper and tin accidentally melted together and hardened. Bronze can also be created with other metals, such as lead. It can be made into works of art, furniture, armour and weapons. It is used in construction and ship-building.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It's used to make musical instruments, coins, works of art and household fixtures such as doorknobs and faucets. There are several different types of brass.
Pewter is an alloy of tin and another metal, such as antimony, silver, lead or bismuth. It is used for household items such as flatware, drinking vessels, buttons and candlesticks.
Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear, so it's alloyed with other metals to make it stronger while retaining its beauty. Gold is often alloyed with copper to produce yellow or rose gold and with silver or another white metal to produce white gold.
Steel is an alloy of iron that is used to produce housewares, buildings, power tools, weaponry and even jewelry.
