Does lemon juice clean a penny?

Pennies are made out of a metal called copper. The copper mixes with oxygen, the same gas that we breathe. This cause something called oxidation and makes the penny look dirty. Lemon juice has acid in it that removes the dirty color or oxidation and makes the penny nice and shiny again!

What cleans a penny best experiment?

What You’ll Do

  • Guess which liquid will make a penny shine.
  • Set one penny aside.
  • In one cup, pour enough vinegar to cover the penny.
  • In the other cup, pour enough liquid soap to cover the penny.
  • Wait at least ten minutes.
  • Remove the pennies, rinse them in water, and rub them with a paper towel.
  • Compare all three pennies.

Why does lemon juice Clean copper best?

Those tart little lemons work to remove copper oxide because they contain citric acid. Since lemon juice has the highest concentration of citric acid of any fruit, it works the best.

Does citric acid clean pennies?

As the penny is placed in the citric acid solution, the citric acid cleans it in two ways. The citric acid removes the copper oxide from the penny and rinses away the loosened dirt and grime. The acid is not strong enough to dissolve the copper itself, so all that is left is the clean, shiny copper surface.

What cleans a penny better vinegar or lemon juice?

Ultimately, lemon juice will clean pennies better than vinegar, though both liquids are viable cleaning options for copper. This means that lemon juice is a slightly stronger acid than vinegar. The stronger the acid, the better it will clean copper pennies.

How do you clean a penny without damaging it?

Vinegar. A common ingredient in DIY eco-friendly cleaners, the acetic acid in white vinegar can help wear away the contamination on your coins. Soak your coins in a glass or other non-corrosive container for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then wipe with a clean cloth or scrub gently with an old toothbrush.

Does lemon juice clean pennies better than vinegar?

How do you clean a penny with Coke?

Simply place one coin in a glass or tub and pour coke over the top, enough so that it is fully submerged in the liquid. Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. If you feel that it needs longer, you can soak it for up to 15 minutes.

Does hydrogen peroxide clean pennies?

Hydrogen peroxide can prove effective in removing various materials, including organic material. To clean using this method, place your coins in a small plastic container, fill with enough hydrogen peroxide to cover, and soak for 24 hours.

What happens when you put a penny in lemon juice?

Have each child place their pennies in the bowl of lemon juice. The oxygen in the air reacts with the copper in the penny. It makes the penny appear darker and not shiny. It is called copper oxide. Complete the other experiments (except the fizzy lemonade) and then return to the pennies in the bowl.

Which is the best way to clean pennies?

Vinegar and lemon juice both work really well for cleaning pennies. But, ketchup was the clear winners for our pennies, with soy sauce next, maybe with a little more time they would have gotten a little bit cleaner. This is a fun experiment to try with younger kids! My kids of all ages were interested in the results, though.

Can you use a penny in a science experiment?

A penny does not need to be pure copper to react with oxygen. So you can just about any penny for science experiments! The pennies on the left were as dark as the penny on the right prior to cleaning with lemon juice. Place a spoonful of baking soda on a tray and lemon juice in a cup .

How to do an experiment with lemon juice?

Lemon Science Experiments. Place a spoonful of baking soda on a tray and lemon juice in a cup . Have each child use a syringe to draw up a little lemon juice to place on baking soda to erupt the “volcano” again and again. The baking soda is a base and it reacts with the acid in lemon juice to create carbon dioxide gas/air which is…