This lesson introduces a new series focused on metals and their alloys, particularly in the context of cultural heritage and archaeology. While a few metals are used in pure form, most are found in complex combinations known as alloys. Understanding these mixtures is essential for interpreting material composition through XRF analysis, especially when studying historical artifacts such as coins.
Objectives
- Identify key metals and alloys relevant to art examination and archaeology.
- Recognize the XRF lines of pure metals such as aluminum, chromium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, tin, gold, and lead.
- Understand how these elements combine to form common alloys.
- Learn how historical coins serve as practical case studies for alloy identification.
