Bronze is the first known alloy. It is a combination of tin and copper, which is harder than either of its components. Ancient people smelted tin and copper to make bronze weapons. Eventually, iron, silver, gold, platinum and other metals were dissolved together to make jewelry, tools and more weapons.
Steel, brass and pewter are types of metallic alloys. Steel is the combination of iron and carbon. Brass is made by combining zinc and copper. When lead, copper and tin dissolve together in the right combination, they form pewter. There are hundreds of types of alloys found around the world. Metals are heat conducting elements; therefore, alloys, which are a combination of at least one metal and other object, conduct heat. This quality makes an alloy a radiant material.
Metal is a heat conducting material. Therefore, when a metal object is heated, it transmits the heat to its surrounding area. Cattle branding and horseshoeing are examples of uses of radiant alloy. Uses that are more modern appear in the form of radiator heaters where boiling water travels through metal pipes to heat the surrounding air.