Some metals, like gold or copper, look dull at first, but when you bend them, they become shiny. It's like when you crumple up a piece of foil and it becomes bright. This happens because the way light hits the metal changes when it moves, kind of like how a wrinkled shirt can catch the light better than a flat one.
Examples
- Bending copper wire in a bracelet maker's hands makes it shimmer
- Twisting a gold ring gives it a shiny edge
- Crinkling aluminum foil can make it look like it’s glowing
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See also
- How do magnets create forces and interact with metals?
- How do magnets work, and what makes some materials magnetic?
- How does a magnet attract some metals but not others?
- What are mechanical properties?
- What are kinks?