By Eric Urban

Which metals zinc plate the best using electricity?

 I think all my metals will zinc plate the same but some will take longer because in my research I found that different metals take different amounts of time.

 Some plugs are electroplated with gold.  It takes an hour to plate with copper.  Electroplating is used in many metal-working companies.  Pennies have zinc on the inside.  The zinc on the inside of a penny is copper- plated then stamped.

 Plastic Container  Vinegar  Water  AC Adaptor  Alligator clips  Zinc Anode  Copper Pipe  Iron Pipe  Aluminum Strip  Steel Razor-blade  Brass Plate  Scale  Wire Cutters  Stopwatch

 Use wire cutters to cut the end off an AC adaptor (Not the side you plug in to a wall). Peal the wires apart and strip the ends. The wire with the white lines on it is positive.  Connect the alligator clips to the positive and negative wires.  Mix ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of water in the plastic container.  Weigh the zinc anode and the copper pipe and record the weight for each.  Connect the zinc anode to the positive alligator clip. Connect the copper pipe to the negative clip.  Place both metals into opposite sides of the plastic container. Be sure not to let them touch each other. Record the time.  After 1 hour, remove the metals from the container and disconnect from the alligator clips.  Weigh the zinc anode and the copper pipe. Record the weight for each.  Repeat steps 4-9 using the aluminum strip instead of the copper.  Repeat steps 4-9 using the brass plate instead of the copper.  Repeat steps 4-9 using the steel razor-blade instead of the copper.  Repeat steps 4-9 using the iron pipe instead of the copper.

CONTROLS VARIABLES  The same hunk of zinc was used through the experiment.  I used one hour for each metal.  I plated different metals.

 The zinc turned black.  The water heated up.  The water turned grey.  Gasses could be seen coming from the solution.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXStarting WeightEnding weight Plating CopperZinc:3.40oz Copper: 0.85oz Plating AluminumZinc:3.40oz Aluminum: 0.25oz Plating BrassZinc:3.40oz Brass: 0.40oz Plating SteelZinc:3.40oz Steel: 0.15oz Plating IronZinc:3.40oz Iron: 2.85oz

 The weight didn't change for any metals throughout the experiment, but the amount of bubbles given off was different for each metal.  The copper had a lot of bubbles. The aluminum had many bubbles. The brass didn't have many bubbles. The steel had very many bubbles. The iron had the most bubbles.  The experiment tested my hypothesis.  I know because some metals plated more or less than others in an hour.

 My hypothesis was some-what correct. I couldn't determine which metals plated more because they all weighed the same before and after the experiment. I determined which metals plated better by looking at the amount of bubbles given off during the experiment. The faster the bubbles were produced, the plating I saw on the metal. Based on this I determined that iron plated the best.  I would change the metals because I want to know how other metals plate.  These are some questions that I have. Why did the zinc turn black? Why didn't the weight change?

 (accessed September 20, 2009) “A Short History of Electroplating.”  (accessed September 20, 2009) “Electroplating – How It Works”  &SingleRecord=True (accessed September 21,2009) “Electroplating.” Historical Inventions on File. Science Online. Facts on File, Inc &SingleRecord=True  ingleRecord=True (accessed September 21,2009) “Brugnatelli’s Electroplating: Luigi Brugnatelli.” Landmark Science Inventions on File. Science Online. Facts on File, Inc. ingleRecord=True  (accessed September 20, 2009) “Plating”