Can You Copperplate?

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In this activity, learners explore chemical engineering and how the processes of chemical plating and electroplating have impacted many industries. Learners work in teams to copperplate a range of items using everyday materials. They develop a hypothesis about which materials and surface preparations will result in the best copper plate, present their plans, test their process, evaluate their results and those of others, and share observations.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Student Resource Sheets
  • Student Worksheets
  • Water source
  • Bucket or sink area
  • Hundreds of dirty pennies, euros or other coins or materials with a high copper surface content
  • Glass jar (jelly or canning jars work well)
  • Iron nails or screws
  • Aluminum bolts
  • Salt
  • White vinegar
  • Lemon juice
  • Baking soda
  • Scouring pads
  • Metal paperclips
  • Other non-valuable metal items

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Chemical Engineering
      • Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
  • Physical Sciences
    • Electricity and Magnetism
      • Electric Charges and Currents
      • Electric Circuits
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Acids and Bases
      • Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Atomic Structure
      • Elements and Periodic Table
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Impacts of Technology
    • The Design Process

Informal Categories

  • Financial Literacy

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, IEEE,