You will need
  • Accurate scales and a transparent graduated container with water; a calculator; a strong magnifier or a microscope, samples of bronze and brass chipped.
Instruction
1
Start with visual analysis. You must thoroughly clean the item and place into the sunlight. As a rule, the darker bronze of brass, and, if you evaluate the color, the bronze goes into the "red" spectrum (i.e. from reddish to brown) and brass in yellow up to white. However, this method is extremely inaccurate, so proceed to the next step.
2
Analyze the alloy density. You will need accurate scales and a transparent, graduated container with water. Lowering of the object in water is determined by its volume, weighing a lot. Density is the ratio of body mass to its volume, and transfer format C (kg/ cubic meter). Typically, bronze is denser than brass, and the dividing line lies at the value of 8700 kg/cu. m. 8400 – 8700 kg/cubic meter – almost certainly brass. 8750 – 8900 – almost certainly bronze.
3
Finally, the structure of the alloy. It should be noted that what is needed are samples of items which can be uniquely identified as bronze and brass; the samples must be chipped.
For the actual analysis will need a strong (preferably binocular) microscope or magnifying glass (even children). The analysis is placed in view at the same time sample (cleavage) and the object of analysis. What we should look for? On the structure of the alloy – as they say, his "grain". Generally, bronze is larger and more coarse grain than the brass.