Re: I`m at my wits end again! Can someone answer t

[Dr P Barker <P.Barker@surrey.ac.uk>]

> Hi!
>     At least for "classical" chemical reactions, there is the
> "law of fixed proportions", i.e. in water there are always exactly
> twice as many atoms of hydrogen as of oxygen. As far as I know,
> this is not the case in brass nor bronze.
>     Regards    Emilio

In materials science you can get an effect of
cocrystallization where instead of getting a random
"solid solution" all the atoms of one element in the alloy
will occupy a particular lattice site (eg the centre in
body centred cubic).  This changes the crystal structure
and (I think) is known as a "reaction".  I have a feeling 
the copper/gold alloys may do this under the right conditions.

Phil
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