Question

The _______ the tin content of bronze the _________ it is:

1) lower; harder
2) higher; harder
3) higher; softer
4) none of the above

Answer 1

The tin content of bronze affects its hardness, with a higher tin content making it softer and a lower tin content making it harder.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is 3) higher; softer.

Tin is a metal that, when added to copper to create bronze, makes the alloy softer and more malleable compared to pure copper. This is because tin atoms are larger than copper atoms, which causes them to disrupt the regular arrangement of copper atoms in the crystal lattice, making it easier for the layers of atoms to slide past each other when a force is applied.

On the other hand, when the tin content of bronze is lowered, the alloy becomes harder. This is because the tin atoms are now more evenly distributed among the copper atoms and form a stronger crystal structure, making it more difficult for the layers of atoms to slide past each other.