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-----Determine Composition of Coins
Q. For my A-level project I am currently investigating the compositions of coins. I know that I can find out the amount of copper in a coin by titrating with sodium thiosulphate
⇦ on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
but is there any other way of doing it?
Please help.
Thank You.
- West Sussex, UK
2002
A. X-Ray/SEM Analysis, Atomic Absorption ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil link] Analysis are 2 tests that can be performed, I'm sure there may be others.

Marc Green
anodizer - Boise, Idaho
A. Hi Krystie,
In this age of more exotic and more varied metals & alloys, there are now hand-held x-ray fluorescence "scrap sorters" or "alloy sorters" ⇨
They are very expensive ($20-$50,000), way out of student range ... but if you have a good friend working in a metals warehouse or scrap yard they can give you a complete metals analysis in seconds 🙂
Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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