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Electroplating. By Eric Urban. BIG QUESTION. Which metals zinc plate the best using electricity?. Hypothesis. I think all my metals will zinc plate the same but some will take longer because in my research I found that different metals take different amounts of time. Interesting Facts.
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Electroplating By Eric Urban
BIG QUESTION Which metals zinc plate the best using electricity?
Hypothesis • I think all my metals will zinc plate the same but some will take longer because in my research I found that different metals take different amounts of time.
Interesting Facts • Some plugs are electroplated with gold. • It takes an hour to plate with copper. • Electroplating is used in many metal-working companies. • Pennies have zinc on the inside. • The zinc on the inside of a penny is copper-plated then stamped.
Materials • Plastic Container • Vinegar • Water • AC Adaptor • Alligator clips • Zinc Anode • Copper Pipe • Iron Pipe • Aluminum Strip • Steel Razor-blade • Brass Plate • Scale • Wire Cutters • Stopwatch
Procedure • Use wire cutters to cut the end off an AC adaptor (Not the side you plug in to a wall). Peal the wires apart and strip the ends. The wire with the white lines on it is positive. • Connect the alligator clips to the positive and negative wires. • Mix ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of water in the plastic container. • Weigh the zinc anode and the copper pipe and record the weight for each. • Connect the zinc anode to the positive alligator clip. Connect the copper pipe to the negative clip. • Place both metals into opposite sides of the plastic container. Be sure not to let them touch each other. Record the time. • After 1 hour, remove the metals from the container and disconnect from the alligator clips. • Weigh the zinc anode and the copper pipe. Record the weight for each. • Repeat steps 4-9 using the aluminum strip instead of the copper. • Repeat steps 4-9 using the brass plate instead of the copper. • Repeat steps 4-9 using the steel razor-blade instead of the copper. • Repeat steps 4-9 using the iron pipe instead of the copper.
Controls / Vairiables Controls Variables • The same hunk of zinc was used through the experiment. • I used one hour for each metal. • I plated different metals.
Observations • The zinc turned black. • The water heated up. • The water turned grey. • Gasses could be seen coming from the solution.
Analysis of Data • The weight didn't change for any metals throughout the experiment, but the amount of bubbles given off was different for each metal. • The copper had a lot of bubbles. The aluminum had many bubbles. The brass didn't have many bubbles. The steel had very many bubbles. The iron had the most bubbles. • The experiment tested my hypothesis. • I know because some metals plated more or less than others in an hour.
Conclusion • My hypothesis was some-what correct. I couldn't determine which metals plated more because they all weighed the same before and after the experiment. I determined which metals plated better by looking at the amount of bubbles given off during the experiment. The faster the bubbles were produced, the plating I saw on the metal. Based on this I determined that iron plated the best. • I would change the metals because I want to know how other metals plate. • These are some questions that I have. Why did the zinc turn black? Why didn't the weight change?
Reffrences • http://www.artisanplating.com/articles/platinghistory.html (accessed September 20, 2009) “A Short History of Electroplating.” • http://www.finishing.com/faqs/howworks.html (accessed September 20, 2009) “Electroplating – How It Works” • http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=E&Singxp0169&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 21 ,2009) “Electroplating.” Historical Inventions on File. Science Online. Facts on File, Inc. • http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=SEOF95&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 21 ,2009) “Brugnatelli’s Electroplating: Luigi Brugnatelli.” Landmark Science Inventions on File. Science Online. Facts on File, Inc. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plating (accessed September 20, 2009) “Plating”