This lesson explores beryllium copper, a modern industrial alloy within the family of copper-based materials. After examining bronzes and brasses, we now consider how a very small addition of beryllium—one of the lightest elements—changes the properties and analytical behavior of copper alloys.
Objectives
-
Understand the composition and characteristics of beryllium copper.
-
Recognize why beryllium cannot be detected by standard XRF spectroscopy.
Materials
-
Samples or images of beryllium copper objects.
-
Reference spectra of copper and other copper alloys.
Lesson Plan
-
Discuss the composition of beryllium copper and its low beryllium content (1–3%).
-
Explain why beryllium’s very low atomic number (Z=4) makes it invisible in standard XRF spectra.
