What cleans a penny the best science project?

What cleans a penny the best science project?

Create a solution of vinegar and salt using one teaspoon of salt and 1/4 of a cup of vinegar. Mix until the salt is dissolved (it helps if the vinegar is a little warm). Add the pennies. Wait about 5 minutes, then remove the pennies from the solution.

What kind of juice cleans pennies best hypothesis?

Those tart little lemons work to remove copper oxide because they contain citric acid. Since lemon juice has the highest concentration of citric acid of any fruit, it works the best. Other juices that rank highly include lime, grapefruit, and orange juice.

What is the science behind cleaning pennies?

As they are exposed to the environment, pennies become coated with a layer of copper oxide, making them look tarnished (with a dull, brown, dirty appearance). Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt. Vinegar and lemon juice are both acids.

Is cleaning a penny with vinegar a chemical reaction?

It takes a chemical reaction! The acetic acid in the vinegar reacts with the copper oxide and dissolves it. We sprinkled salt over the pennies, and then used a dropper to coat them with vinegar. We rubbed the pennies a little with the salt, and they were shiny again!

What to clean dirty coins with?

Follow These Steps:

1. In a jar, combine one cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and 1 tablespoon salt.
2. Pour the solution into the plastic container.
3. Add the coins in a single layer, so none of the coins are touching.
4. When you remove the coins and wipe them with a cloth or paper towel, they should look shiny.

Does cleaning a coin devalue it?

It is best not to clean rare coins as removing the patina can significantly reduce the value of them. For this reason, most coin hobbyists almost never clean their coins. In fact, 99% of coins do not increase in value after you clean them, but many will be greatly devalued.

What is the best coin cleaner?

Vinegar. A common ingredient in DIY eco-friendly cleaners, the acetic acid in white vinegar can help wear away the contamination on your coins. Soak your coins in a glass or other non-corrosive container for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then wipe with a clean cloth or scrub gently with an old toothbrush.

How do you clean dirty coins without vinegar?

Place the coins in a solution of dish soap and water.

1. If you have a particularly dirty coin, you can allow it to soak in the solution.
2. A non-abrasive liquid solvent like distilled water and a weak soap will have enough cleaning power to clean your coins, and does not contain acids that can corrode them.

How does vinegar and salt clean pennies?

Put the salt and vinegar in the bowl. Stir until the salt dissolves. Dip one penny halfway into the liquid. Hold it there for about 10 seconds, then pull it out.

Does dish soap clean pennies?

2- Use Dish Soap This makes it the perfect formula for cleaning dirty coins. Let the coins sit in the soapy water for five to ten minutes and let the dish soap do its job, weakening the attachment between the dirt and your coins. Once the dirt and grime is loose, rub the coins in your fingers to help remove the dirt.

How do you tell if a coin has been cleaned?

A cleaned coin will have a dull, bright look – one that on a well-circulated coin would seem unnatural. Old pennies that have been worn should not look bright orange and have flashy surfaces. Old, worn pennies should be medium to dark brown in color and have virtually no reflectivity on the surface at all.

How much does cleaning a coin devalue it?

If you try to clean it and end up introducing the slightest amount of wear, it will no longer be uncirculated. You’ve just lost at least 75% of the value, and possibly as much as 90% of the value. This of course depends on the price curve for condition of a particular coin.

Are cleaned coins worth anything?

There’s a reason that a cleaned coin is often worth less than half its original, undamaged value – numismatists simply don’t want them. In fact, in most cases, anything more than a simple surface rinsing with water to dislocate loose debris will actually remove tiny bits of metal from the coin.

Why is cleaning coins bad?

In general, numismatists will tell you that cleaning coins is a bad idea. They will even go so far as to tell you not to handle them except by holding them along their edges, and even then, with extreme care. Polishing or rubbing coins can cause unnatural shine or other damage, also reducing the value of your coins.

How do you clean a $2 coin?

Chuck your coins in a tupperware or some sealable plastic container with enough vinegar to cover it, give it a good vigorous shake every now and again and I reckon after about 30-40mins your coins should be clean(ish).

What is the best chemical to clean copper?

What are the Best Chemicals to Clean Copper

• Citric acid- Citric acid is an organic acid which is used to clean copper.
• Acetic acid- This is perhaps one of the most commonly used materials to clean copper.
• Acetone- Acetone is an organic compound which is commonly used as a solvent.

Does WD 40 clean copper?

To keep copper from tarnishing, you need to eliminate the circumstances which make it tarnish. Additionally, you can coat your copper object by wiping it with a light coat of baby oil, mineral oil, olive oil, WD-40, or even a thin layer of carnauba wax or beeswax.

How do you make burnt copper shiny again?

Fill a pot with water, then add a cup of white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt. Mix thoroughly until the salt is dissolved. The mixture of vinegar and salt produces a mild acid that can dissolve copper oxide.