Pennies Composition Analysis

The Congress authorized the amount of copper in a penny after 1982 to be 2.5% by mass. The mean value found from this lab was 3.018%. There were no discernable variations based off of the penny’s apperance or mint date. The value reached from this lab is significantly different from the authorized copper content.

To begin with, pennies aren't the only coins that cost too much to make. According to Jeff Sommer, who wrote the article “Penny Wise,or 2.4 Cents foolish?” he states “Each

Pennies are not useful because of their value Their is no purpose of having it on the money system. 1 cent is nothing when your going to go grocery shopping. Therefore, many people don't like to use pennies they just let it take up space

The pennies used in this experiment were created in 1990, 1993, and 1995. The pennies were all created after 1982 when the percentage of copper authorized by Congress in a penny was changed to 2.5% by mass. This fact led to the hypothesis that because all three of the pennies were created post-1982, their mass will be approximately 2.5% copper. However, facts that must also be be taken into consideration are the age of the penny and the condition it is in because the copper is on the outside of the penny and is susceptible to wear and tear.

This experiment was performed to determine the difference in density between pre-1982 pennies and post-1982 pennies. In addition, we were given an unknown substance and our task was to configure what it was through calculating its volume,mass, and density. Furthermore, we were being introduced to the procedures of displacement in this experiment as well. All together, we were given the task of finding out why there was a difference in density between the two pennies. My partner, Michael Sapawa, and I first had to measure the mass of both pennies using a scale. Then we calculated the volume of the samples with graduated cylinders through the method known as displacement. We then applied our schema and drew out the formula for density, which

The U.S. penny has been a standard in our currency system for almost as long as our country has existed as a sovereign nation, but due to inflation, production costs, and the changing times we live in, it is no longer a sustainable unit of currency and only serves to increase our national deficit and waste our time. When the penny was produced for the first time in 1792 by the U.S. Mint, it was made of pure copper, featured a woman with flowing hair, and was inscribed with the words “Liberty”. Since then, the design and composition have changed numerous times to reflect our changing nation. Despite its fading glory, the penny has been kept alive by numerous false lobbying fronts and a stubborn ideology, but

Some people think that if we don't use pennies that if we get rid of the penny, that its will round

In 2011, it cost 2.4 cents to produce the penny. The penny was first minted in 1857. It cost 2.4 cents to make the penny. Also the United States loses 1.8 cents for every penny being made. In conclusion we should get rid of the penny. The United States should get rid of the penny because it is people are not using them, cost to much, and other countries have already dropped the penny.

This experiment was performed to observe differences in density based on the chemical makeup of an object. Pennies minted before 1982, pennies minted after 1982, and an unknown metal sample was tested to see if there were any differences in their densities. Ten pennies from each category and the metal sample were weighed using a scale to find mass and the displacement method was used to find their volumes. The masses and volumes were then used to calculate the densities of the pennies (D=m/v). The density of the pre-1982 pennies were 8.6 g/mL while the post-1982 pennies were 6.9 g/mL. The metal sample’s density was 1.7 g/mL. Following the experiment we were given the real densities of each item to calculate the percent error with the formula

Weight 30 dry pre-82 pennies which get 89.77g, using 30ml initial volume measuring the volume of 30 pennies, record the data 10.0ml. Using equation Density= Mass/Volume, get the density of the pre-82 pennies is 8.98g/ml. Then calculate the error%=0.10%, and the deviation%=1.29%.

The penny, also known simply as the one-cent coin, was first made about 230 years ago in 1787. The first penny ever made was 100% copper and it was heavier and larger than the usual penny today. The design itself was suggested by the famous Benjamin Franklin ("A Brief History of the U.S. Cent”). Lately, people have talked about the idea of abolishing the penny, but others disagree. The penny should not be abolished.

Plautus once said “You have to spend money to make money,” a quote made painfully true by the penny, a coin worth 1/100th of a dollar. The penny’s story starts in 1792 with the first U.S. Mint which produced the dime, quarter, nickel, penny and half penny which we will get back to later. Pennies were originally made of 100% copper, however, as prices of copper rose they soon started to make pennies out of 95% zinc and 3% copper, which is how they are made today. Soon after this, the raw material of pennies began to cost more than the penny itself was worth, therefore people began to melt them down and sell the material for profit. When this occurred, instead of the government getting rid of the pennies all together and being happy citizens where removing them from circulation they made melting the currency down illegal and continued producing 4 billion pennies a year! You can find these tiny useless coins anywhere from in your couch cushion to on the sidewalk. The reason we should stop minting pennies is that they cost money, waste time, are bad for the environment, and they are useless.

In this lab, we will determine the percent composition of a modern (post-1982) penny by using a strong acid to react and dissolve the zinc core, leaving only the copper coating. Once only copper remains, we will compare its mass to the entire mass of the penny to determine how much of a penny is copper and how much is zinc.

The density of the coins is 8.47 g/cm3 which matches the density of yellow brass the coins recovered are yellow brass

Seven various household objects were chosen to measure using a digital gram scale. Each object’s mass was estimated by lab students and recorded in data table 4. A quarter, ball point pen, rubber bulb, large paper clip, green crayon, house key and a copper penny masses were estimated and recorded in data table 4. Each object was placed on the scale individually and its actual measurement was recorded in data table 4. As we started estimating the household objects we were often not correct in our estimations. As we measured more and more objects, we got better in our estimations by comparing objects with known masses and comparing them with the unknown