Bronze is a metal alloy commonly composed of which?

• A. 90% copper with tin (and sometimes zinc)
• B. 100% copper
• C. 50% copper and 50% tin
• D. Tin and zinc only

Answer: (A)

Bronze is a copper-based alloy created by adding tin to copper, which makes the metal harder and more durable than pure copper. The classic composition is about ninety percent copper with around ten percent tin, though small amounts of other elements (like zinc) can be present in some bronze alloys. Pure copper is not bronze, and a 50/50 mix of copper and tin isn’t the standard bronze composition, which is why it wouldn’t give the typical bronze properties. A tin-and-zinc alloy without any copper wouldn’t be bronze either, since bronze is defined by the copper-tin combination.