Chemistry

              Name:_______________________________________________  
Percent  Composition  of  a  Penny  Lab   Hour:__________________    Date:_______________________  
 
Purpose: In this lab, we will determine the percent composition of a modern (post-1982) penny
by using a strong acid to react and dissolve the zinc core, leaving only the copper coating. Once
only copper remains, we will compare its mass to the entire mass of the penny to determine how
much of a penny is copper and how much is zinc.

Safety Tips: *Wear goggles and gloves at all times

* If you spill Hydrochloric acid on yourself, rinse with water.

Procedure Day 1:
1. Obtain one 50.0 mL beaker, and label the beaker with your NAME and HOUR.
2. Obtain a penny dated 1983 or later. Wash the penny with soap and water to get it clean.
3. Using a triangular file to make FOUR oppositely-placed small grooves into the edge of the
penny (the marks with be approximately 90 degrees apart. The grooves must be deep enough
so that the zinc is exposed, but not so deep that the penny's mass is greatly affected.

Your markings should be placed near the bolded dashes like so à

4. Clean the top and bottom surface of the penny with steel wool until itʼs shiny. Rinse the penny
in acetone and dry it on paper towel.
5. Determine the mass of the penny on the balance, and record the mass in the table on the
bottom of the page. Removed the penny from the balance using tweezers and place it in its
beaker.
6. While wearing gloves, carefully pour 20 mL 6M HCl into the beaker.
7. Place your labeled beaker under the fume hood to react overnight. Observe the effect the acid
has on the copper outside of the penny.
8. Make a prediction in the table below on the percent copper and percent zinc in the penny.

Day 2:
8. CAREFULLY, using tweezers, and wearing gloves, remove the penny skin from its beaker.
Rinse the penny skin with distilled water and set it aside for a moment. Empty the solution in the
beaker down the sinking with running water. Rinse out the beaker several times and gill it half
full with distilled water.
9. Place the penny skin back into the beaker and allow it to soak in the distilled water for
several minutes.
10. Using tweezers, carefully remove the copper skin from the beaker and place it in acetone for
about a mine. Remove the copper skin and allow it to air dry for 5 minutes.
11. Weigh the copper skin and record its mass in the table on the bottom of the page.
Calculations

1. Calculate the mass of zinc reacted in the penny.

Final_mass_of _the_penny
2. Calculate the percent Cu using the formula: %Cu= !100
Initial_mass_of _the_penny

Mass _ of _ the _ zinc _ reacted

3. Calculate the percent Zinc using the formula: %Zn = !100
Initial _ mass _ of _ the _ penny

4. How does your answer compare to your prediction?

5. Explain what happened to the zinc in the penny?

6. Looking at the following equation for the reaction: Zn(s) + HCL(aq) à ? + ZnCl2(aq)
Predict the missing product in the equation. What clue appeared in the penny/acid reaction
beaker that would help verify this?

7. If the zinc dissolved in the acid solution, can you see it? Write the symbol to represent zinc in
the solution.

8. Why do you suppose the copper did not dissolve in the acid?

9. According to the United States Mint, pennies are 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, calculate the
Theoretical _ %Cu ! Experimental _ %Cu
percent error in the lab using: %error = "100  
Theoretical _ %Cu

10. Name three possible sources of error in this lab.