---
title: "Bronze — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Bronze has a density of 8,800 kg/m³ (8,700–8,900). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/bronze/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Bronze

**Density of bronze: 8,800 kg/m³ (8,700–8,900)**

8.80 g/cm³ · 549.4 lb/ft³

Copper and tin rather than copper and zinc, and the difference shows up as bearing behaviour: bronze runs against steel without galling, which is why bushings are bronze and not brass. Phosphor bronze adds a fraction of a percent of phosphorus and becomes a spring material that resists fatigue better than brass. Bell bronze runs to 20% tin, which makes it hard and brittle and gives it the long ring; the same composition would be useless as a bearing.

## Properties

- **Density:** 8,800 kg/m³ (8,700–8,900) — 8.80 g/cm³
- **Melting range:** 950–1050 °C
- **Tensile strength:** 350–700 MPa
- **Young's modulus:** 110 GPa
- **Thermal conductivity:** 62 W/(m·K)
- **Thermal expansion:** 18 µm/(m·K)
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Plain bearings and bushings
- Ship propellers and marine fittings
- Statues and bells
- Springs and electrical contacts (phosphor bronze)

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- bronze: 8,800 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| bronze ← | 8,800 kg/m³ | 8.80× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

No. Copper and its alloys cannot rust, since rust is iron oxide. They form a patina instead — copper oxide first, turning to the familiar green carbonate over decades — and that layer is adherent and protective, which is why copper roofs last centuries.

## Is it magnetic?

Bronze is not ferromagnetic. It is often assumed to be because it is a metal, but most metals are not — only iron, nickel, cobalt and a few alloys are attracted to an ordinary magnet.

## Common questions

### What is the density of bronze?

8,800 kg/m³ (8,700–8,900), or 8.80 g/cm³.

### Does bronze float?

No. At 8,800 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is bronze magnetic?

Bronze is not ferromagnetic. It is often assumed to be because it is a metal, but most metals are not — only iron, nickel, cobalt and a few alloys are attracted to an ordinary magnet.

## Related pages

- [Does bronze float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/bronze/)
- [Mild steel](https://atoneplace.net/material/mild-steel/)
- [Stainless steel 304](https://atoneplace.net/material/stainless-304/)
- [Brass](https://atoneplace.net/material/brass/)
- [Gray cast iron](https://atoneplace.net/material/cast-iron/)
- [High-carbon steel](https://atoneplace.net/material/carbon-steel/)
- [Stainless steel 316](https://atoneplace.net/material/stainless-316/)
- [Aluminum 6061](https://atoneplace.net/material/aluminum-6061/)
- [Aluminum 7075](https://atoneplace.net/material/aluminum-7075/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)