In general, the highly purified single crystal of a metal is soft and malleable. This may not be desirable and for this reason most metals are used in the form of alloys. The word “alloy” is derived from the Latin alligare, meaning “to bind to”, which gave the French word “alliage”. An alloy is formed by combining a metal with other metals, nonmetals, or metalloids. Alloys are used because they have specific properties that are more attractive than those of the pure metals. For example, some alloys possess high strength, others have low melting temperatures, some are especially resistant to corrosion, and others have desirable magnetic, thermal, or electrical properties. Brass is an alloy made with copper and zinc. Steel is an alloy made with iron and carbon, a nonmetal.