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← HistoryWhich problem plagued early Mesopotamian bronze tools produced with impure copper ore?
A)Increased malleability at high temperatures
B)Rapid oxidation in humid environments
C)Brittleness due to arsenic contamination✓
D)Reduced hardness from lead inclusions
💡 Explanation
When impure copper ore was used to create bronze, arsenic contamination occurred because the ore contained arsenic impurities that were not fully removed during smelting, resulting in embrittlement. Therefore, the manufactured tools became brittle, rather than having greater malleability, enhanced resistance, or reduced hardness, arising from different alloy imperfections or impurities.
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