To Determine the

Copper Content in a
US One Cent Coin
Coating
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EXPERIMENT
Aim: To determine the percentage of copper in a US 1 cent
coins coating issued in 2006.
Apparatus:
1. Burette
2. Pipette
3. Volumetric flasks: 1 each of 250mL and 100mL capacity.
4. Measuring cylinders: 1 each of 100mL and 10mL capacity.
5. Beakers: 3
6. Funnel.
7. Glass rod.
8. Dropper.
9. Carbon-paper.
10. Electronic balance.
11. Clamp stand.
12. Tripod stand and wire gauze.
Required chemicals and reagents:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Mohrs salt (FeSO4(NH4)2SO4.6H2O).

Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7).
Phosphoric acid (H3PO4).
Sulphuric acid (H2SO4).
Diphenylamine ((C6H5)2NH).

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THEORY

The amount of copper in a copper containing coin can be

determined by adding the coin to a standard dichromate
solution, some portion of which will react with the copper
whose remaining portion is titrated with a standard Mohrs salt
solution.

Reactions:
1. Between Copper and Potassium dichromate:
Cu Cu2+ + 2eCr2O72- + 14H+ +6e- 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
Cr2O72- + 14H+ +3Cu 2Cr3+ + 3Cu+ + 7H2O
1 mol of Cr2O72- consumes 3 mol of Cu.

2. Between Mohrs salt and Potassium dichromate:

6Fe2+ 6Fe3+ + 6eCr2O72- + 14H+ +6e- 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
6Fe2+ + 2Cr3+ + 14H+ 6Fe3+ + 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
1 mol of Cr2O72- consumes 3 mol of Cu.
3 mol Cu consumes 6 mol Fe2+.
1 mol Cu consumes 2 mol Fe2+.

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Titration: It is the process of adding one solution from the burette into a
conical flask with another solution, in order to complete a reaction
between the two solutions till an end point is reached.

Redox titration: In a redox titration, a reductant is titrated against an

oxidant or vice versa. For example:
5Fe2+ + MnO4- + 8H+ 5Fe3+ + Mn2+ + 4H2O

Equivalence point: It is the theoretical point of completion of a reaction

in a titration when the reactants are according to their stoichiometric
ratios.
End point: It is the point where all the reactants have been consumed,
indicated by colour change of the solution during titration when one of
the reactants is in slight excess compared to the other.
Indicator: It is a compound which undergoes some easily detectable
change in colour during titration, thereby indicating the end point.
Use of potassium dichromate: Potassium dichromate has been used in
this project as its standard solution can be easily and accurately prepared.
Its solution also reacts readily with copper without the need of very high
temperatures or very low pH and indicates the occurrence of this reaction
easily by turning murky brown. At the same time, unlike nitric acid, aqua
regia etc., it selectively reacts with copper metal under standard
conditions, hence it reduces interference by other metal ions which may
act as reducing agents and yield erratic readings. This is especially
important in the context of this project as coins tend to have multiple
metals in their coating and core.
Use of diphenylamine: For most redox titrations involving dichromate
ions and metal ions, diphenylamine, diphenylbenzidine and
diphenylamine sulfonate are used as indicators. Diphenylamine has been
chosen as an indicator in this project due to its relative ease of
preparation.
Use of phosphoric acid: Phosphoric acid, when used with dilute
sulphuric acid, aids in stabilizing the Fe3+ ions by forming a soluble
phosphate complex and hence gives correct readings during titration. In
the absence of phosphoric acid, the diphenylamine indicator changes
colour well before the actual consumption Fe2+ ions occurs, hence giving

erratic readings. Hence phosphoric acid facilitates indicator correction.

Presence of phosphates lessens any other interfering colour changes.
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Applications: This project appealed to me as it presented an opportunity

of exploring one of the very interesting facets of our financial history. As
an amateur coin collector, I have always been interested in coins, their
evolution across history and the processes involved in their minting.
Copper has always been used as a coinage metal. Since the early
civilizations of Egypt, copper artifacts were used as coins, jewellery and
were considered status symbols. Since the era of industrialization, copper
coins made of the alloy cupronickel(75% copper, 25% nickel) have been
minted, often for traders and merchants as cupronickel coins were
particularly resistant to corrosion from sea water. As the costs of
copper( and nickel) have risen exponentially due to its scarcity, few
copper coins are in circulation. Even those containing copper, like the US
cent or the British pence, only have a very fine coating of a copper alloy.
The methods used in this project are similar to the ones used by federal
agencies and scientific laboratories that examine the metal content of
various coins for purposes like verifying authenticity of antique
coins( some of which are sold for lakhs of rupees), estimating the date of
issue of coins, to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit coins
among many others.

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PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS

I.

MOHRS SALT SOLUTION

(FeSO4(NH4)2SO4.6H2O) (250mL of 0.05M)
Molecular mass of Mohrs salt=392g.
Molarity=Mass of solute/molecular mass of solute X volume
of solution.
Mass of salt required=0.05 x 392 x 250 /1000=4.9g.
Therefore, 4.9 g of Mohrs salt has molarity 0.05M in
250mL solution.
Mass of beaker= 54.28 g.
Mass of salt with beaker= 59.18 g.
Mass of salt= 4.9g.
Procedure:
1. Weighed 4.9g of Mohrs salt on electronic balance.
2. Washed the 250mL volumetric flask, funnel and a
beaker.
3. Added 3/4th of a test tube of dil. H2SO4 and stirred it
well so that each particle of the salt got coated with
the acid to prevent its hydrolysis.
4. Dissolved Mohrs salts acid-coated crystals in 2030mL of distilled water.
5. Transferred the solution to the volumetric flask using
funnel and collected the washing.
6. Made the solutions volume 250mL by adding distilled
water.
7. Closed the flask with its stopper and labeled it 0.05M
Mohr salts solution.

II.

POTASSIUM DICHROMATE
SOLUTION(K2Cr2O7) (100mL of 0.02M)
Molecular mass of potassium dichromate=294g.
Molarity= Mass of solute/molecular mass of solute x Volume
of solution.

Mass of salt required=0.02 x 0.1 x 294 =0.59g

Therefore, 0.59g of dichromate salt has molarity 0.02M in
100mL solution.
Mass of beaker=60.81g
Mass of salt with beaker=61.40g
Mass of salt=0.59g
Procedure:
1. Weighed 0.59g of Potassium dichromate on electronic
balance.
2. Washed the 100mL volumetric flask, funnel and a
beaker.
3. Dissolved Potassium dichromates crystals in 2030mL of distilled water.
4. Transferred the solution to the volumetric flask using
funnel and collected the washing.
5. Made the solutions volume 100mL by adding distilled
water.
6. Closed the flask with its stopper and labeled it 0.02M
Potassium dichromate solution.

III.

PHOSPHORIC ACID (H3PO4 )(100mL of 1M)

Molarity=10x specific gravity percentage by mass/molar
Mass
= 10x 1.95 x 90 /98
= 17.908M.
Required volume of the 17.908M acid solution to make
100mL of 1M solution is (i.e. V2 ) :

M1V1=M2V2
1M x 100 mL= 17.908M x V2
V2=100/17.908=5.58mL
Therefore, 5.58mL of 17.908M phosphoric acid is required
to make 100mL solution of 1M.
Procedure:
1. Cleaned measuring cylinders of 100mL and 10mL
properly.
2. Took 5.58mL of 17.908M Phosphoric acid in the
10mL measuring cylinder.
3. To some distilled water taken in the 100mL cylinder,
added the measured volume of acid, drop by drop.
4. Washed the smaller cylinder and transferred the
washings into the larger cylinder till the 100mL mark
was reached.
5. Transferred the solution to a beaker.

IV.

SULPHURIC ACID(H2SO4)(100mL of 1M solution)

Molarity of given solution of H2SO4= 2.5M
Required volume of the 2.5M acid solution to make 100mL
of 1M solution is (i.e. V2 ):
M1V1=M2V2
1M x 100 mL= 2.5 x V2
V2=100/2.5=40mL
Therefore, 40mL of 2.5M Sulphuric acid is required to make
100mL solution of 1M.
Procedure:

1. Cleaned measuring cylinder of 100mL properly.

2. Took 40mL of 2.5M Sulphuric acid in the 100mL
measuring cylinder.
3. Added distilled water to the cylinder till the 100mL
mark was reached.
4. Transferred the solution to a beaker.

V.

DIPHENYLAMINE((C6H5)2NH )(25mL of 0.1M)

Molecular mass of diphenylamine=169g.
Mass of diphenylamine required for 25mL of 0.1M solution=
0.1 x 0.25 x 169= 0.42g
Weight of beaker=66.46g
Weight of beaker with Diphenylamine= 66.88g
Weight of salt= 0.42g
Procedure:
1. Washed and dried a beaker and glass rod.

2. Weighed 0.42g of diphenylamine of electronic

balance.
3. Took 25mL of conc. Sulphuric acid in a completely
dry beaker and stirred it well.
4. Covered the beaker with carbon paper and stored it in
the dark.

TITRATION
1. Heated the weighted copper coin with 50mL of 0.02M
Potassium dichromate and 10mL of 1M Sulphuric acid in a
conical flask for about 20 minutes.
2. Allowed the solution to cool to room temperature.
3. Transferred the solution to 100mL volumetric flask through a
funnel to minimize splashing. Collected the washing till the
solution reached the 100mL mark.
4. Cleaned the burette and beaker with soap solution first
followed by tap, and then distilled water.
5. Rinsed the burette and beaker with Mohrs salt solution.
6. Clamped the burette to the clamp stand and filled it with
Mohrs salt solution.

7. Pipetted out 10mL of the solution in which copper coin is

dissolved in a conical flask and added 10mL of Phosphoric
acid to it and finally 2-3 drops of indicator Diphenylamine.
8. Took the initial reading on the burette and performed the
titration till the end point was reached, i.e. when the colour
changed from violet to green.
9. The above procedure was repeated 5 times to improve the
accuracy of the taken readings.
10. After titration was complete, the burette, pipette, beaker and
conical flask were washed with soap solution, tap water and
distilled water taken in that order.

OBSERVATIONS
Initial mass of copper coin used=2.54g
Mass of coin after dissolving it in Potassium dichromate solution=2.44g
Mass of coin dissolved= 0.1g
Solution in burette=Mohrs salt solution.
Solution in conical flask=10mL of Potassium dichromate+10mL of
Phosphoric acid solution.
Colour change at end point=Violet to Green.
Indicator used= Diphenylamine.

S.No.

Initial Reading

Final Reading

Volume used

(mL)

(mL)

(mL)

1.

0.2

6.6

6.4

2.

6.6

12.4

5.8

3.

17.4

23.6

6.2

4.

23.6

29.7

6.1

5.

29.7

35.8

6.1

CALCULATIONS
Molarity of Potassium dichromate=0.02M
Therefore, molarity of Potassium dichromate in 100mL solution( when
diluted from 50mL solution to 100mL solution)=0.01M
This, no. of moles in 100mL of Potassium dichromate solution= 0.001
moles.
Molarity of Mohrs salt solution=0.05M
Mean value of solution used in titration=6.1mL

Molarity of Potassium dichromate titrated against Mohrs salt

solution(i.e. M2):
M1V1/n1=M2V2/n2
0.05 x 6.1/6=M2 x 10/1
M2= 0.05 x6.1/(6x10)
M2=0.0051M
Moles of Potassium dichromate in 100mL of solution which went
unused=M2 x 100/1000=0.00051 mol.
Moles of Potassium dichromate used initially=0.001mol
Moles of Potassium dichromate that reacted with copper=0.001-0.00051
=0.00049mol
Therefore, moles of copper that reacted with Potassium dichromate =
0.00049 x 3= 0.00147mol of copper.
(According to the reaction, 3 moles of Cu react with 1 mol of Potassium
dichromate).
Thus mass of copper that reacted or got dissolved= 0.00147 x 63.5
= 0.0933g
Therefore, the percentage of copper in dissolved portion of the coin
=Mass of copper reacted/Mass of copper dissolved x 100
=0.0933/0.1x 100
=93.3%
Therefore, assuming that copper is uniformly distributed through the
coin, it can be said that the coin contains 93.3% copper by mass.

RESULT:
The US 1 cent coin (2006 issue) was found to contain 93.3% copper by
mass.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. All substances being weighed (beakers/the coin) must be

completely dry and free of external contaminants that add to
their weight.
2. Mohrs salt crystals must be coated with dil. H 2SO4 to prevent
hydrolysis of crystals.
3. Diphenylamine is a toxic compound that must be handled
carefully.
4. The diphenylamine indicator should be stored in dark after
preparation.
5. The flask with the coin and the Potassium dichromate
solution must have a flask placed over its mouth so as to
condense the evaporating solution of Potassium dichromate
that is being heated.
6. For maximum accuracy, the titration apparatus must be as
clean as possible.
7. When pipetting, the last drop in pipette must not be blown
out as it is extra volume.
8. The pipette must not be help by its bulb as body heat can alter
its volume.
9. The colour change in titration must be a one drop change for
maximum accuracy.
10. Minimum amount of indicator must be used.

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BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that the project entitled To study the factors affecting

internal resistance of a cell:
a) separation between electrodes
b) area of electrods
c) concentration of electrodes

is the bonafide work of Ms. Vanshika Agarwal of class XII - L

who carried out work under my supervision. Certified further, that
to the best of my knowledge the work reported herein does not
form part of any other project on the basis of which a certificate
was issued on any earlier occasion.

Place :
Date :
Mr. J S VIRDI
HOD Physics Department
Delhi Public School
R.K.Puram