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Objectives
After you have completed this laboratory, you will be able to:
Introduction
The composition of a penny has changed throughout the years. Before 1982 pennies were made of a
copper alloy. An alloy is a mixture of metals. Post-1982 pennies have a copper coating but contain a
different metal inside. The composition of the post-1982 pennies can be determined by calculating the
density and comparing it to the densities of various metals.
Questions
1. Is density a physical or chemical property?
Hypothesis
After reading the lab instructions but before starting the lab, record your best educated guess about
what will happen in the experiment. Write the hypothesis as an if-then statement. Give your reasons and
outline any assumptions that lead you to this hypothesis.
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Materials
water
1 plastic cup
Getting Started
Procedure
1. Count out 10 pennies from the cup.
2. Place the 10 pennies on the scale.
3. Record the mass in the data table.
4. Fill the graduated cylinder with 30 mL of water. Remember to read from the meniscus.
5. Place all 10 pennies in the graduated cylinder.
3
Data
Data Table 1: Average Density of Post-1982 Pennies
Number of Pennies
Mass (g)
Volume (cm )
Density (g/mL)
10
20
30
40
Analysis
1. Calculate the average mass of the four penny samples. (For example: take the mass of 10
pennies and divide it by 10 to get the average mass of one penny. Do the same for all samples
and find the overall average mass for one penny.)
2. Calculate the average volume of the four penny samples. (Use the same procedure you used to
find the average mass.)
3. Using the average mass and average volume, calculate the average density of the post-1982
pennies. (D = m/V)
4. Compare the average density to the list of densities below. Of which metal are pennies
composed?
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Metal
Density (g/cm3)
iron
7.87
chromium
7.14
zinc
7.00
copper
8.92
silver
10.50
nickel
8.91
5. Calculate the percent error of your density. The theoretical value of post-1982 penny density is
3
7.05 g/cm .
Conclusion
After conducting the experiment, how would you now explain the problem(s) or answer the question(s)?
Were you able to support your hypothesis or not? Be sure to base your answer on the data you collected.
Consider whether your conclusion is the only explanation for the data you collected or if there could be
alternate explanations.
Use these prompts to guide you in writing your conclusion:
Discuss how you identified the unknown metal of which post-1982 pennies are composed.
Why did you use more than ten pennies for each measurement and not just one penny?
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Additional Questions
1. What accounts for the percent error in the density calculation?
3. If your experiment does not seem to match the expected results, what did you learn from the
experience? If you were to repeat the lab so that the results were closer to what was expected,
what would you do differently?
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