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Can you clean a penny with orange juice?
Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt-and vinegar is an acid. You could also clean your pennies with salt and lemon juice or orange juice, because those juices are acids, too.
What liquids corrode pennies?
Which Liquids Will Tarnish a Penny Faster?
- Potassium Sulfide. Potassium sulfide dissolved in water creates a solution that puts tarnish on a penny.
- Bleach. Bleach will also tarnish pennies.
- Vinegar. Acid speeds up the oxidation process taking place on copper.
- Liver of Sulphur.
Can pennies rust?
A penny doesn’t technically “rust.” The copper plating corrodes, resulting in green surface tarnish. The corrosion is from oxidation — a chemical reaction between the metal and oxygen, water and carbon dioxide in the air.
How do you get rust off of coins?
If you want to go ahead and clean corrosion off of your old coins, baking soda likely is the safest route to follow. Wet the affected coin with clean tap or distilled water, roll in baking soda, then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush.
How do I make coins rust?
Lay a penny in a bowl to experiment with rapid corrosion. Pour 1/2 tsp. salt on it and then cover the surface of the penny with vinegar or lemon juice. Wait five to 10 minutes and then remove the penny and place it on a paper towel or plate.
What can you put on a penny to make it Rust?
She could try beer, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, vegetable oil, antifreeze, or shampoo for additional ideas. Actually, nothing will make a penny rust because rust is “iron oxide”, so only things with iron in them can “rust”, whereas a penny is made of copper plated onto a zinc core.
Why does pickle juice clean a penny so well?
The reason pickle juice cleans a penny so well is it contains acetic acid, which breaks down copper oxide. The clear second place is lemon juice. Those tart little lemons work to remove copper oxide because they contain citric acid.
What makes pennies look dirty on the outside?
All modern pennies have copper coating on the outside, and those dated before 1982 are made of pure copper. The copper comes in contact with the oxygen in the air and forms a chemical bond with it. The result is the compound, copper oxide. Copper oxide has a cloudy gray or green appearance which makes pennies look dirty over time.
Is it a good idea to clean old pennies?
While this experiment is a good way to teach kids about chemistry, it is not a good way to clean pennies that are collector’s items. In fact, cleaning old coins in any way can severely reduce their sale value. A better thing to do in this situation is to take the pennies to a professional restorer.