I LOVE teaching! Pour enough of each solution into its corresponding dish to cover the pennies (it doesn't take much). To make it a true experiment, you can try to answer these . I love coming up with simple and fun learning and STEM activities for kids. What do you notice about each penny? Vinegar and lemon juice are both acids. Add highlights, virtual manipulatives, and more. Which penny is the cleanest, compared to the control? Now when you dipped it into the salt + vinegar solution and then air-dried it, it also took with it some chlorine which is often found in salt. Drop the pennies into the soda. When the oxygen and the copper on the coins' outsides interact, a substance called copper oxide is formed. Line these cups up in a row. . We talked about the materials used for making, and the process of oxidation. These boxes are presented in partnership with Popular Mechanics so you know you'll be getting some great stuff each month. If you line up your pennies in order from the dirtiest to the cleanest, the order should go something like this: Water, Soda/Fruit Juice, Vinegar, Ketchup, and Vinegar and salt mixture. If you have older kids, you can let them pour the soda. 'Elephant's Toothpaste, ' link: Begin your control experiment. Gently swirl the cup so that the penny is completely covered with Ketchup. Will using lemon juice and salt have better results than vinegar? Im going to use this for my science project at school but im going to do it for more then 10 minutes. Grab a cup of coffee, some of that chocolate youre hiding from the kids, and join me as I learn, experiment, and explore with my kiddos and hopefully inspire you a little in your journey alongside smart, quirky, creative kids, too! Antique Singer Sewing Machines That Changed the Game, Although they are often found at garage sales, flea markets, and estate sales with very low price tags, there are several models of antique Singer sewing machines that are highly sought after by co, 62+ Fun Family Night Ideas and Activities You'll Want to Give a Go, Family night ideas include fun games and activities any family can enjoy together at home or in their neighborhood. Please supervise your children during all activities. So when the coin stays in your pocket or is passed from person to person or stays in that container where you keep all your pennies, the copper in the coin reacts with the oxygen in the air and turns into what is called copper oxide. If youre doing this with kids, this is a good time to ask them questions about the experiment. Students will create a booklet or for a quicker project, just print the worksheet. However, over time, they turn dull and dark. Its exactly the same reaction thats happening to the dearly beloved Statue of Liberty! Different brands of Ketchup and Tabasco or hot sauce will have different amounts of salt and acid in their ingredients, so your results may be different than someone else doing this activity at their house. Put 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice and 1 teaspoon of salt into each Lemon cup. When you are done with this fun experiment, check outMaking Pennies Green. Place the penny (tails side up) on a flat surface. Penny lab experiment conclusion.By comparison, the old pre-1982 copper pennies were 95% copper and 5% zinc with a density of 8. Well, after you wash the ketchup off, that is. Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter? Its that dull dark. Why or why not? The statue ismade of copper and it has turned bluish-green because of this copper-oxygen-chlorine reaction. Ketchup also contains a lot of salt, which helps add to its acidity. The Salt And Vinegar Method. What will happen when the liquid cleans the coin? This will help them understand whats going on. (Optional) Dip one piece of pH paper in each solution (it turns more blue for basic liquids and more red for acidic ones), let it dry, and label which liquid it was dipped in. Thats great to know Aayeshi. Here's what a young scientist will need to get started: In order to perform this simple experiment, do the following: Once the results are in, talk to the child about which pennies look the cleanest and if they can see any patterns regarding which solutions seemed to do the best job. It also benefits your kid in a lot of ways too. Wait at least two minutes before rinsing the pennies. The chemistry behind the experiment is simple yet interesting, and the project is easy for children of all ages to do. This website is helpful to me but,add more steps and I think it can be more helpful. by Brenda Priddy | Jul 12, 2017 | Homeschool |. This is a fun and easy STEM activity that introduces the idea of oxidation and basic chemical reactions. Once all of the pennies have been rinsed, use your fingers to gently scrub the pennies one at a time with your baking soda paste (keep your gloves on for this part!). Go back to the table you drew. Your kids will love this simple chemistry experiment. Finally, after about 30 minutes to 1 hour, look at the coins again. Instructions. 'Fire Water Balloon, ' link: Do you notice any changes in the contents of the cups is anything bubbling, or changing color? The friction does the work. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Keep the pennies in the cup. Sign up to learn about our special events, clubs, camps, promotions and school programs. Just don't drink the coke afterward. Salt is another compound called sodium chloride, so it contains a chemical called chlorine (like what we use in swimming pools to keep them clean). Update Includes Google Slides version for distance learning, Rated 4.77 out of 5, based on 172 reviews, " is a product that provides a fun and educational activity for children and adults alike. In this activity were going to explore why pennies dont stay bright and shiny, and test different methods to bring the shine back! Repeat the experiment with the same pennies in a new solution of vinegar and salt and see if you can make them even brighter! The word "tarnish" refers to the dull or gray-green coloration found on some older pennies. Once they are clean place them on the towels you laid out in front of the cups. Add the pennies. This post contains affiliate links. The salt and acetic acid in vinegar do the trick. So, the acetic acid in vinegar dissolves the copper oxide and cleans it. You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. You dont need any fancy gadgets or science kits to clean these coins, all you need are a few household ingredients and you will have shiny new coins in less than an hour. Ketchup and oranges have a high acid content as dovinegar and lemons. Curious about the science? Could you have cleaner pennies if you just used running water? Please enter a search term in the text box. Leave the coins to air dry for at least 30 minutes. After all the pennies have soaked for about five minutes, it is time to pull them out. In this fun and easy kitchen science experiment for kids, we're going to use a chemical reaction to clean pennies. While the coins are submerged in the cups, lay out some paper towels or kitchen paper and label each towel so you know which coin is going where. All you'll need is soda, a cup, pennies and some time. Extra: Test whether these cleaning solutions work on other types of coins. Fill the eyedropper with water from the water beaker and carefully count the number of drops that fit on the penny until the water spills over the edge. Im Colleen, gifted specialist, educational consultant,author,speaker, andhomeschool momof four gifted/twice-exceptional kids. Remember that at the very start, I said you should use only copper coins? After that you won't see anything happen. The liquids didnt clean the coins in 10 minutes so I think it needed to be for longer! It isn't just dirt, it is the result of the copper in the pennies interacting with oxygen in the atmosphere. What do your results tell you about the special properties of copper pennies? Dish soap. She is an accomplished screenwriter, teacher and blogger. It can be done relatively quickly and with multiple ages. Science - Lesson 5 of 50 - Grades 4,5,6 Later when you have your results, you will be able to look back on what they have written down and compare their results to their initial answers. Cover the pennies with taco sauce, spreading the sauce over the pennies until they are completely covered. Continue observations. Penny Lab webapi.bu.edu 2022-10-29 . Water from the tap is fine. The next day, pour the soda out of the glass, careful to leave the pennies. You can find this page online at: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/shine-bright-like-apenny. In each case, make sure the penny is completely covered by the contents of the cup. You can actually do lots of simple science experiments at home with just a few basic supplies. Make sure you stay with your kids during this part and engage with them. it does not say the date and author on the website! also after an hour of the salt and vinegar, the salt made the coin super duper weird and worse. Once all your liquids have been poured into their own cup, you can have your kids drop one old coin in each liquid and leave them submerged for 10 mins. Want to wow your kids with some simple kitchen science? Tomatoes contain naturally occurring citric acid, another acid that is generally slightly weaker than vinegar or lemon juice. This is your control. Once the budding scientist has a pile of pennies, he or she should choose and collect their selection of cleaning solutions. Put pennies in each solution to see which one does the best job of cleaning the pennies. I know I was. Were there any cleaning methods where the time didnt matter, so the 1 minute and 5 minute pennies are equally clean? Begin by pouring the vinegar into the bowl. Therefore, each cleaning method you tested contained acid and salt, but the Ketchup and Tabasco sauce may have had a slightly weaker acid. While copper is a beautiful metal, it is also reactive. Pennies turn dull and green due to oxidation. If you are in a hurry these two cups can be enough, but more solutions are better to give a full picture of what is happening. CokeCoke and off-brand colas will quickly remove the tarnish. What works best to do this is an acid combined with salt. This is a great activity for using just exploring and giving open-ended questioning. Place the pennies in the bowl, and allow them to sit for several minutes. 9 Easy Grill Cleaning Tips to Keep Mealtime Fresh, At least two of the solutions from the above list, One penny for each solution plus one extra, One small dish or cup for each solution (plastic or paper cups with a couple inches off the top cut off will work if there aren't drinking glasses to spare). Materials: Dirty pennies Glass Vinegar Salt Measuring spoons Paper towels Instructions: Fill the glass about halfway full with vinegar. Wipe the excess ketchup off the pennies, then rinse them off. The acid in ketchup is acetic acid, commonly known as vinegar. Teacher Notes: Regarding, : 1 colour page Can you clearly see Abraham Lincoln? Copper oxide is blackish. 4. Record this number on your data table under trial 1. Through teaching, I have discovered that children learn in many different ways, and have seen the positive impact both STEM and Montessori toys have on children. All you need are pennies, water, dish soap, salt, and vinegar. You can read more on the science behind how to clean pennies here: Clean your pennies with ketchup! Thanks a lot Meriley. Lab, Students of all ages have fun doing this easy, ! All you need for this science experiment are vinegar, salt, a glass jar, and dirty pennies.1. Compare the penny from the ketchup to the control penny. Take the penny from the Ketchup,1 minutes square of your table, and place it in the Ketchup 1 cup. Copyright 2002-2023 Science Buddies. Pour a small amount of each solution you chose into a cup. How to Clean Sunglasses Without Scratching Them. Phosphoric acid breaks down the copper oxygen compound and causes a new layer of the copper to be exposed. We know that its mostly tomatoes a quite acidic vegetable. Lesson and Program Overview: 2 colour pages (we used our hands very messy business especially with the catsup but the kids thought that was fun!) Leave the coins in the liquid for 10 minutes. If you have a camera, take a picture of the pennies. The kids had a lot of fun and the sorting sheet helped keep the organized and on track. Once you have completed the process dont be afraid to go back and work through it again. Remember that copper turns dark brown when reacting with oxygen? KetchupSoak your pennies in ketchup to clean them like new. Note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. Through a penny cleaning science project, you can study atoms, chemical changes and observing processes through the scientific method, all of which are science lesson benchmarks for eighth grade. Which penny is the cleanest, compared to its before picture? Mix until the salt is dissolved (it helps if the vinegar is a little warm). We're going to try this out today! As in ketchup, salt and vinegar are both in hot sauce. You can dispose of any extra ketchup how you normally would. 12-Page Colour Download: Lesson contains For cleaning up, I used a variety of materials such as lemon, vinegar and salt, water, water with soap. Here are the scientific method steps and some sample questions to help you work through it. 1. So when it comes to cleaning old copper coins, then you will want a solution that gets rid of copper oxide and copper oxide dissolves easily in acids. Step 2: Dip one penny halfway into the liquid. Label each cup with a pen so you and your kids know what liquid is in each up. Younger kids might need a bit of help. The "Penny Cleaning Experiment" is a product that provides a fun and educational activity for children and adults alike. Set one penny aside to act as your control. Penny lab experiment conclusion. Chemical reactions are responsible for the change in a pennys appearance over time. Have you ever wondered why some pennies are shiny and some are dull? You should have observed that each cleaning method made the pennies cleaner, but some methods may have been more successful than others. Try other materials containing small amounts of acid to see which produces the best results. The lab instructions are easy to follow and provide step-by-step guidance on how to conduct the, 5-IN-1 BUNDLE (Set 1 of 10) - Grades 4,5,6, What is in this '5-IN-1 BUNDLE'? In this activity, were going to test a few different methods for cleaning pennies, and determine which gets our pennies the cleanest. Now, when copper reacts to oxygen, it turns dark brown to make copper oxide. Recently, we did thisCleaning Pennies Experimentand the results were surprising to my kids. In fact, new pennies are so pretty that its considered a compliment to say that something is as shiny as a new penny. Science isnt a one and done thing. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 'Balloon Powered Rocket, - Lesson 2 of 50 - Grades 4,5,6 we do during the week of Presidents' Day or when we are talking about coins in Math. And see whats the sciencebehind this phenomena. Did you get to the same conclusion that the ketchup and the vinegar + salt mixture cleaned the coins the most? Continue to place each penny in the 5 minutes column in its corresponding cup. Create a solution of vinegar and salt using one teaspoon of salt and 1/4 of a cup of vinegar. 20-30 dull pennies 1/4 cup white vinegar (dilute acetic acid) 1 teaspoon salt (NaCl) 1 shallow, clear glass or plastic bowl (not metal) 1-2 clean steel screws or nails water measuring spoons paper towels Shiny Clean Pennies Pour the salt and vinegar into the bowl. Step 4: This way, you wont mix up the coins when it comes to comparing them. Encourage this and get them to write down their supposed answers. This blue-green is called malachite and copper can turn into malachite over many years of exposure to chlorine and oxygen. Discover the quickest ways to keep your Air Force 1s looking like they're fresh out of the box. The child might decide to pick a winning solution or even to rank the pennies in order of which is the most improved. The chemical reaction that dissolves the copper oxide on your pennies is an ongoing process. The young scientist tries to find out which of several solutions will clean pennies best, eliminating the copper oxide that gives the surface a dull and tarnished appearance.