|
Who says only paper money should be green? This experiment will make your pennies
change from their usual copper color to a glorious green overnight! (Sure sounds strange, but it
really makes "cents!")
You'll need:
- a paper towel
- small bowl
- vinegar
- pennies
What to do:
- Fold the paper into a square and lay it in the bowl. Soak the paper towel with vinegar.
- Place the pennies (Lincoln face-down) on the wet paper towel. Then wait at least 12-15 hours
or until the next morning.
What happens:
The Abe Lincoln-side of the pennies have turned bright green!
Why this happens:
The vinegar has a chemical reaction with the copper in the pennies. This reaction forms a green
substance called copper acetate. (If your pennies don't look very green at first, just wait--the
longer they're in contact with vinegar, the greener they'll become.) You can find a famous example
of this on the Statue of Liberty. When the Statue of Liberty was first created more than a 100
years ago, it was bright and shiny as a new penny because of its copper sheeting. Butmore than a
century of aging, harsh weather conditions, and pollution have turned the Statue of Liberty into
the green color we see today.
|
