Can You Copperplate?
Source Institutions
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IEEE
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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.
- Under 5 minutes
- 1 to 2 hours
- $10 - $20 per group of students
- Ages 11 - 18
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English
Quick Guide
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
Subjects
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- 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
- Electricity and Magnetism
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
- The Scientific Process
- The Nature of Technology
- Technology and Society
- Impacts of Technology
- The Design Process
- Technology and Society
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,
