Apple Cider Vinegar and Coins

By Kelsey Sorenson

Introduction

Hi class! Today we are going to experiment with apple cider vinegar and salt and see if it is able to clean coins.

Our question is: Does apple cider clean pennies or silver coins (quarters, nickels and dimes) more effectively?

Make a hypothesis: Do you think apple cider vinegar and salt will clean pennies or silver coins better?

Materials

You will need…Apple Cider

VinegarSaltPaper TowelsPennies,

Quarters, Nickels, and Dimes

Two bowlsSpoon

Step 1

Pour the apple cider vinegar into the first bowl.

Step 2

Add a dash of salt too the bowl (not too much, about a teaspoon).

Step 3

Stir the mixture

Step 4

Place the pennies in the bowl. Let sit for about 20 seconds and then stir them around in the bowl.

Step 5

Rinse the pennies off in the sink.

What happened to the pennies?

They definitely look cleaner than before! Some of them are super shiny. Some still have a little dirt on them but are cleaner than they were before.

Now let’s take a look at the silver coins!

What do you think is going to happen?

Step 6

Repeat the same process as the fist time. Mix together the vinegar and salt and then stir.

Step 7

Place the quarters, nickels, and dimes in the mixture for about 20 seconds. Then stir.

Step 8

Rinse them off in the sink.

What happened to the silver coins?

It looks like the coins look the same as before. Why do you think it didn’t work as well? Was your hypothesis right?

Conclusion

The apple cider vinegar cleaned the pennies better than the quarters, nickels, and dimes. This is because the pennies are made out of copper which is a different material than the mixture used to make the other coins!