I got an experiment for you all. Take a 1p or 2p coin and put youre burnsen burner flame on the blue flame, and burn

Question: I got an experiment for you all. Take a 1p or 2p coin and put youre burnsen burner flame on the blue flame, and burn the coin for about 5-10min. The coin will turn like gold, sometimes it works i tried it many times. I learnt this in primary school. Tell me if it works?

Asked by sciencekid to Sarah, Paul, Mark, Lily, Laura on 21 Jun 2010 in Categories: Your Research.
- Paul Roche answered on 21 Jun 2010:
  
  Sounds like chemistry to me…!
- Lily Asquith answered on 21 Jun 2010:
  
  I’ll try it, thanks. Just got to get my hands on a bunsen burner…
- Laura Maliszewski answered on 21 Jun 2010:
  
  I’m not sure I can answer that one, coins in the US are made of different alloys than used in the UK, so I might get different results!
  
  Is the color change you’re talking about temporary, or after the coin has cooled down?
- Mark Roberts answered on 21 Jun 2010:
  
  So it depends on the chemicals on the surface of the coin and which is why it will only happen sometimes. The main reason this happens is due to zinc being in the coin – so the level of zinc controls this happening
  
  The best way to do it (to guarantee a colour change) is to dip the coin in hot sodium zincate then it will turn silver then gold in the flame
  
  Be careful though as technically recolouring coins is illegal

sciencekid commented on 21 Jun 2010:

thanks mark ill be carefull

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sciencekid commented on 21 Jun 2010:

well kinda chemistry paul .hey my name is paul

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Question: I got an experiment for you all. Take a 1p or 2p coin and put youre burnsen burner flame on the blue flame, and burn the coin for about 5-10min. The coin will turn like gold, sometimes it works i tried it many times. I learnt this in primary school. Tell me if it works?