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What will make a penny rust?
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I want to find out what makes a penny rust?
We are using 5 new pennies and putting them into 5 different things. We have gasoline, soda (coke), glass clearer, fish tank with salt, ammonia with salt in it . My daughter wants to find out which will make a penny rust. She is only 11 years old.
Thanks so much!
Peggy L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- New York
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Hello Ms. LaSala
11-year-olds should not be using gasoline in such experiments! She could try 3-in-1 oil or sewing machine oil as a petroleum-based entry into her tests.
And I would also advise her not to mix other ingredients into household cleaners; while I don't really think that salt is dangerous to add to ammonia, in principal it is dangerous to add things to ammonia or bleach, or to household cleaners based on either.
She could try beer, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, vegetable oil, or shampoo for additional ideas.
Nothing will make a penny rust because only things with iron in them can "rust", whereas a penny is made of copper plated onto zinc. But anything acidic or salty will cause the pennies to corrode. If you can bend, saw, or cut the pennies so the silvery colored zinc is exposed they will corrode much quicker.
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
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