Copper bottomed at a bothy

We visited a remote bothy in Scotland. Mrs B spotted a pan that someone was using - a Physics teacher's favourite. I've taught about them often and said copper is a better heat conductor than steel but more expensive so the sides are steel and the bottom is copper. Turns out it's more complicated than that. Apparently it's about spreading the heat evenly. I suppose that with metals that don't conduct as well, if you heat with gas only the bit directly above the flame will conduct through and so the food in that place will be heated more. But with copper, there will be better lateral conduction so food above other bits will get heated. It is also said to be more responsive to changes in heat. They also say that copper reacts with acidic food and the results can be poisonous. So a stainless steel lining stops that happening.