1. Penny For your Thoughts

2. ChemCatalyst
Long ago, people tried to turn ordinary things into gold. This pursuit was called alchemy and the people who engaged in alchemy were called alchemists.
Do you think the alchemists were successful in turning things to gold? Explain your thinking.
Unit 1 • Investigation I

3. ChemCatalyst
Long ago, people tried to turn ordinary things into gold. This pursuit was called alchemy and the people who engaged in alchemy were called alchemists.
Do you think with all the advances in technology that we can find a cheap method to turn things into gold?

4. Activity
Purpose: In this activity you will be transforming a copper penny and discussing what happens.
Safety Note: You must weat safety goggles at all times. DANGER! Sodium hydroxide will burn skin, eyes, and clothing.
(cont.)
Unit 1 • Investigation I

5. The Big Question Can we turn a penny into gold?
Unit 1 • Investigation I

6. You will be able to:
Follow a procedure using lab equipment and describe your observations.
Unit 1 • Investigation I

7. Materials Penny 2 tongs Hot plate Bunsen burner Striker Goggles
Paper towels
2 100 ml –beaker
1 250 ml beaker half filled with water
Lab gloves
Chemicals:
Zinc filings (just enough to cover the bottom of the 100 ml beaker (10 g)
25 ml of 3M sodium Hydroxide
Cold tap water

8. Steps to make the NAOH solution
Must be 3 M
For 1 M you would use 40 g of NaOH to make a 1L solution
Put 40 g in about .8 liters, dissolve, then fill to 1 liter mark
Triple amount of NaOH to get 3 M
Since we need only about 0.5 L, cut total in ½
Thus mix 60 g of NaOH into 400 ml of water then fill to 500 ml level

9. Lab Jobs to be divided up
Safety Czar:
Make sure everybody is wearing goggles
Gloves are being used where appropriate
Hair and sleeves have been addressed by all
Team members are keeping safe distance
In charge of Group’s actions
Penny Mover
Uses tongs to place penny into Sodium hydroxide solution and takes penny out when finished
Places penny into water
Hot Plate specialist
Turns on and monitors Solution on Hotplate, makes sure beaker is in middle
Records the initial and final amounts of solution in beaker
Turns off hot plate when section is done
Sodium Hydroxide Holder
Uses tongs to hold Sodium Solution Beaker as Penny Mover does his tasks
In charge of getting a beaker of sodium hydroxide solution from fume hood at start of class and returning cool beaker at end of period
Blocker/Flame Keeper/Spill Patrol
Makes sure that no one bumps Sodium Hydroxide holder as they walk with solution beaker
Lights and monitors Bunsen Burner
Turns off Gas at end of lab

10. All students will heat their own penny

11. PROCEDURE For silvering the penny For turning penny into gold
Place zinc filling in beaker, covering bottom
Carefully add 20 ml of NAOH solution to beaker
Place on hot plate and set to 4, if liquid boils, turn down
Use tongs to place penny in beaker, with help
Once it turns completely silver remove with help
Place penny in 250ml beaker to cool and rinse
Set up Bunsen burner
Light burner with striker/match
Adjust flame using metal collar (blue is hottest)
Use tongs to place silver penny into flame
Hold penny in flame only until it changes color, no longer
Place in 250ml beaker to cool down

12. Safety check
Shoes
Hair
Clothing
Goggles

13. The running of the Penny lab
This lab will be done under the direct supervision of the teacher, because of the dangers involved
Any action taken by a student that I deem detrimental to the class will be dealt with swiftly and harshly!

14. Steps to the lab
Step 1 is prep and safety (goggles!, review safety tips)
Step 2: Turn the penny silver by placing it into a heated solution that contains Sodium Hydroxide and Zinc
Step 3: Turn Penny into gold by putting it into the flame of a Bunsen burner
When you are not active in the lab, you should be observing others and answering questions

15. Clean up Any spills of Sodium Hydroxide must be immediately addressed
Use paper towels to stop flow (make sure you are wearing goggles and gloves)
Turn off hot plates once you are done with them, BEFORE you go on to Bunsen Burners
Turn off gas to burners after you are completed with section

16. Response to questions Get out the composition book
Add any other observations from the class to your own if you believe they improve what you have written. Note who said what

17. Questions to be answered in lab
In comp book

18. Question 1 Describe what you observed during the experiment.
Label and describe the materials/devices used, how they were set up for use, and what actions occurred.
After the step took place, indicate the general results with as much detail as possible

19. Question 2
What do you think happened to turn the penny silver?

20. Question 3
What do you think happened to turn the penny gold?

21. Question 3 Making Sense
Do you think you made real gold? Explain your response.

22. Question 4 Making sense
How could you find out if you did make real gold?

23. At the end of class Picture
If you do not want your penny, I will keep it

24. Which is the main focus of our next section
Discussion of mass and volume requires one to understand what matter is
Which is the main focus of our next section