National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Save the Dinosaurs with Copper and Zinc!
Create a coat of armor for dinosaur volunteers. Young scientists explore the oxidation-reduction reaction facilitated by electric current. The result of the reaction is a dinosaur coated in copper and zinc, which leads to an...
Curated OER
Atomic Absorption Determination of Zinc and Copper in a Multivitamin
Advanced lab apprentices prepare zinc and copper solutions to which they will compare the same minerals from a multivitamin. Using absorption spectroscopy, they analyze the contents of the multivitamin for concentration. This lab can be...
Curated OER
An Experiment in Alchemy: Copper to Silver to Gold
How exciting would it be for your chemistry class to produce their own "gold"? This experiment allows pupils to witness the chemical reaction of copper pennies as they react with zinc and sodium hydroxide to produce "gold" tokens. It is...
Chymist
An Experiment in Alchemy: Copper to Silver to Gold
Use chemistry to change pennies into gold coins! The experimental procedure leads learners through the process of changing copper pennies to silver and then to gold. They record the mass of each coin through every step of the experiment.
Curated OER
Acids, Copper, and Zinc
Middle schoolers observe chemical reactions using post-1982 pennies. They observe the reaction of an acid with zinc but not copper under the same conditions over a two week period.
Pingry School
The Alchemist's Dream – Copper into "Gold"
Many scientists attempted alchemy for hundreds of years before a full understanding of metals became clear. Scholars take a penny and, through two different chemical reactions, make it appear to turn into silver and later gold. They...
Curated OER
Penny Lab
In this percent composition worksheet, students carry out an experiment to determine the percent of zinc in a penny. They write a balanced equation for the chemical reaction they performed with the penny and hydrochloric acid.
Curated OER
Transition Metals (II)
Students discuss transition metals, their properties, and where they are located on the periodic table as well as why transition metals are ideal for coins. After discussion, they conduct an experiment using copper in the form of old...
Curated OER
Reactions of Metals with Water, Acid and Air
In this chemical reactions worksheet, students experiment with reactions between 4 different metals with water, acid and air. Students make observations of copper, iron, zinc and magnesium with water, acid and air. They write an analysis...
Curated OER
Citrus Batteries
Young scholars create models of voltaic cells using lemons. They place both a copper strip and a zinc strip into a lemon about a half inch apart and touch both leads at the same time to their tongue. After recording their observations,...
Curated OER
Cents-ible Chemistry-Analysis of the Metal in a Penny
Students determine the base metals and surface metals in a penny. In this analysis of metals lesson plan, students determine the density of five pennies minted in different years. They use different chemicals such as hydrochloric acid,...
Curated OER
Relating Moles to Coefficients of a Chemical Equation
Students investigate the coefficients in a chemical equation and their relation to moles. In this moles and coefficients lesson plan, students perform a single replacement reaction of copper (II) sulfate and zinc and find the ratio of...
Curated OER
Displacement Reactions of Metals
Chemistry stars experiment with metals to observe reactivity with salt solutions. They test magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper by immersing them into different solutions and observing for changes. A separate set of data tables is...
Curated OER
Displacement Reactions
Five metal samples are tested for their reactivity with different solutions. From the results they discover the order of reactivity for copper, iron, lead, magnesium, and zinc. Have your aspiring chemists perform this laborabory exercise...
Cornell University
Electroplating
Silver pennies and copper nickels are made possible by applying some chemistry. Learners use electrolysis to coat a penny with zinc sulfate and a nickel with copper sulfate. Their investigation builds an understanding of electroplating...
Curated OER
Factors Which Affect Corrosion
Students investigate the factors which affect corrosion. In this corrosion lesson plan, students experiment with 2 nails, copper wire and magnesium ribbon placed in a petri dish of agar solution, potassium ferricyanate and an indicator....
Illustrative Mathematics
How Much is a Penny Worth?
Are pennies really worth one cent? Here, learners use rates to calculate the price per pound of copper that would result in pennies that are exactly one cent's worth of copper. Might work best as a group or whole-class activity since the...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Heavy Metal Contamination
An informative lesson focuses on heavy metal contamination of environments. Classes read about, discuss, and answer questions pertaining to sources of heavy metals in the environment. To finish the 35th installment of 36, individuals...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Observing Chemical Changes—Microscale Chemistry
Want to add a wow factor to your current chemical changes lesson plan? Try a microscale experiment with colorful precipitates! Partnered learners conduct 10 single displacement reactions and record their observations.
Curated OER
Chemical Composition of American Coins
Students investigate the chemical composition of pennies dated 1983 or later. For this chemical composition of American coins lesson plan, students scratch the surface of the penny to expose the zinc core. They put the penny in...
Curated OER
Determining the Enthalpy Change of a Reaction
For this enthalpy of reactions worksheet, students use a known amount of copper (II) sulphate solution and an excess of zinc powder to calculate the enthalpy change of the reaction. Students measure the temperature change over the course...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Alloys
What are alloys, and why do we use them? Through a series of interactive puzzles, scholars examine the components and uses of several common alloys. The accompanying teacher's resources provide support in using the lesson, printable...
Curated OER
Striking it Rich with Chemistry
Students identify the composition of different pennies. In this chemistry lesson, students use a post 1982 penny to observe chemical change. They explain how to turn a penny from copper to gold.
Curated OER
Transformation of Energy
Sixth graders explore and discuss how several electrical devices work and what energy conversions occur in each device. They connect a zinc strip to a copper strip with alligator clips and wire, immersing each strip in lemon and check...