corrosion
Chemistry in Everyday Life Statue of Liberty: Changing Colors The Statue of Liberty is a landmark every American recognizes. The Statue of Liberty is easily identified by its height, stance, and unique blue-green color Figure 17.16 . When this statue was first delivered from France, its appearance was not green. It was brown, the color of its copper skin. So how did the Statue of Liberty change colors? The change in appearance was a direct result of corrosion. The copper that is the primary component of the statue slowly underwent oxidation from the air. The oxidation-reduction reactions of copper metal in the environment occur in several steps. Copper metal is oxidized to copper I oxide Cu2O , which is red, and then to copper II oxide, which is black.