AIM:

TO

ANALYSIS
THE
METALS
PRESENT
IN
COINSCERTIFI
CATE

This is certify that Ankur Singhal of class XII-B completed

this project on
TO ANALYSE THE METALS PRESENT IN
INDIAN COINS
in the chemistry lab of D.L. D.A.V. Model School. His
performance on the project was quite satisfactory

SIGN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to sincerely thank my chemistry teacher Mrs.
Vibha mam for supporting me throughout the practical

classes and helping me for completing this project without

whose help I wouldnt have come so far, also I would like
to thank the lab assistant for also being there in the lab
during experiments and helping me get acquainted with all
the apparatus.

INDEX
Introduction
Apparatus
Chemicals
Theory
Analysis

Procedure
Table 1
1,2,5 paisa
Table 2

Rs 1, 2, 5 coins
Conclusion
Precaution
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
Man was always been curious to know the nature of things
around him. He has been continuously exploiting his
surroundings in all possible ways to penetrate deep into the
origin of all the things. He began with understanding the
physical and chemical composition of various substances.

These experiments led him to understand the nature in

better way.
Everybody in his or her daily life come across various
types of coins. When we sell something we get coins and
when we buy something we give coins.
Leonardo-do Vinci once said Experiments are the
interpreter of nature Experiments are the surest way to the
confirmation of all processes. Here is an endeavour to
satisfy that curious urge of enquiry. This project tries to
analyse the various metals present in the coins used in
many parts of India, which were used in ancient times as
well as the once which are used in present times.

APPARATUS
Test tubes
Test tube stand
Test tube holder
Bunsen burner
Beakers

Petri dishes
Filter paper
Droppers
Glass Roads
Different Types Of Coins

CHEMICALS
Dilute HCl
Conc. HNO3
Conc HCl
Dilute HNO3
Dilute H2SO4
Potassium Chromate

PbCl2
NH4NO3
K4[Fe(CN)6]
Solid AlCl3
COnc NH4Cl
KCNS
NaOH
Fe(CN)6

THEORY
Alloy: An alloy may be defined as a homogeneous mixture
of two or more metals or a metal and a non-metal. Example
Brass, Bronze, Stainless Steel. There are two general types
of alloy.
Inter-metallic compounds and interstitials
compounds of metals with a non-metal.
Solid solution of meta and non metals in metals.

SOME ADVANTAGES OF MAKING ALLOY

ARE GIVEN BELOW.

S.No ADVANTAGES EXAMPLES

.
To increase
Alloy of iron
1
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

hardness
with carbon
To reduce corrosion Taking stainless
steel from iron
To reduce
Brass, an alloy of
sensitivity
Cu is more
tenacious
To get better casting Antimony, added
to lead to make
type metal
To lower melting Soldier, an alloy
boiling point
of lead iron
To modify chemical Amalgams are
activity
made for this
purpose

ANALYSIS
The analysis of elements in Indian coins is based upon the
salt analysis scheme of the basic radicals confirmatory tests
of elements involved are as follows:
We can determine the constituent of an unknown alloy by
dissolving it in some simple acid or aquaregia and the
solution, thus obtained can be subjected to usual qualitative
analysis to determine the constituent.

LEAD (Pb2+): To test for lead first of all add dil.

HCl to original solution and lead is precipitated as PbCl2
Pb2+ + 2ClPbCl2
(White)
The solution of lead chloride given a yellow precipitate of
lead iodine with potassium iodide solution and of lead
chromate with potassium chromate solution.
PbCl2 + 2KI

PbCl2+K2CrO4

PbI2 + 2KCl
(Yellow ppt.)
PbCrO4 + 2KCl
(Yellow ppt.)

COPPER (Cu2+): Copper belongs to the second

group and gives black ppt. of CuS when H2S is passed
through original solution plus dil. HCL.
Cu + H2S

CuS+ 2H+
(Black ppt.)

Black precipitate of copper sulphide dissolves in 50%

HNO3 acid forming a green solution of copper nitrate.
3Cu+8HNO3

3Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO + 4H2O

(Green Solution)

CONFIRMATORY TEST
Cu(OH)2 + 2NH4NO3 + 2NH4OH
Cu(NH3)4(NO3)2 + 4H2O

(Deep blue)Cu(NO3)2+ 2NH4OH

Cu(OH)2+2NH4NO3
(Black ppt.)
If NaOH is added in excess:
Cu(OH)2 + 2NH4NO3 + 2NH4OH
Cu(NH3)4(NO3)2 + 4H2O
(Deep blue)
2CuSO4+K4(FeCN6)+2K2SO4

ALUMINIUM (Al3+):

Aluminium gives white ppt.

of Al(OH)3 in the IIIrd group. When NH4 along with
NH4CL is added
3Al+3NH4OH

Al(OH)3+3NH4
(White gelatinous

ppt.)
Filter and dissolve the ppt. in a little dil. HCL and a drop of
blue litmus paper solution and add to it dil.NH4OH drop
wise. A blue lake is formed. In case, Al (OH)3 absorbs all
the colouring matter of the litmus forming a complex
compound called blue lake.

IRON(Fe3+):

Iron gives reddish brown ppt. in the IIIrd

group test.
Fe3+ + NH4OH

Fe(OH)3+3NH4
(Brown ppt.)

The ppt. of Fe(OH)3is soluble in dil. HCL giving FeCL3

CONFIRMATORY TEST
4FeCl3 + 3K4[Fe(CN)6]

4 FeCL3 + 6KCNS
(Pot.Sulphocyanide)

Fe4[Fe(CN)6] +
12KCl
(Ferric Frrrocyanide)
K3Fe(CNS)6 +
3KCl.
(Pot.Feric
Sulphosyanide)

ZINC(Zn2+):

If Zn2+ is present then on passing H2S

through the IIIrd group white precipitate is formed.
Zn2+ + H2S
(White ppt.)

ZnS + 2H+

Dissolve the ppt. in dil. HCL and boil of H2S

ZnS + 2HCL
(i)ZnCL2 + 2NaOH

ZnCL2 + H2S
Zn(OH)2 +
2NaCl
(White ppt.)

If NaOH is added in excess:

Zn(OH)2+2NaOH
Zn(ONa)2+2H2O
(Sod. Zincate)
(ii) 2ZnCL2 + K4Fe(CN)6

MAGNESIUM

Zn2Fe(CN6)+4KCl
(Zinc. Ferro cyanide)
(Mg2+): To the solution add NH4OH

and (NH4)3 PO4

i.e. Ammonium phosphate in excess. White ppt. of Mg
NH4CL is formed.
Mg(NO3)2 + Na2HPO4 + NH4OH

Mg NH4PO4+2NaNO3+H2O

PROCEDURE
PREPARATION OF AQUAREGIA: Took a clear
beaker and put three test tubes of conc. HCL in it. To
this add one test tube of concHNO3 stir it. Thus, form
mixture of aquaregia.
TAKE THE SMALL BEAKERS: And paste a white
blank slip on these. Put equal amount of aquaregia in
all the beakers and label them according to the coins to
be put into them.

 CLEAN THE COINS: So that no dust is left on them

and dry them. Put them in beakers label for them.
Place three beakers in some safe place and remain
them for two to three days.
After two days, COINS WERE DISSOLVED and
there was solution in the beakers. Add half beaker of
water in each solution.
Detect the basic radicals step by step in each coin. Tables
are given below showing the observations and result of
qualitative analysis..

TABLE 1

For coins of 1, 2, 5 paisa..

S. EXPERIMENT
No
1. Observe the colour of
the coin

OBSERVAT
ION
Silvery
white

INFERENC
E
Al3+, Zn may
be present

2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
i)

7.
8.

9.

Dissolve them in
aquaregia
To the O.S. add dil.
HCL
To the above sol pass
H2S
To the OS add NH4Cl
and boil, and then add
NH4OH in excess.

Gas
evolved
No ppt of
HCL
No
precipitate
White
precipitate
formed.

NO2 may be
present.
Group 1st is
absent.
Group 2nd is
absent
Group 3rd
may be
present.

Blue lake.

Al3+
confirmed.

To a part of O.S. add

KCNS.
To the 3rd group
filtrate added H2S. If
ppt forms pass H2S
through the whole
solution.

No colour.

Fe3+ absent.

Black ppt
formed.

Group 4
present.

Dissolve the black

ppt in aquaregia.
Evaporate to dryness.
Confirmatory Test:
Yellow residue+

Yellow
residue.

Ni2+ may be
present.

Confirmatory test:
Dissolve the above
ppt. in HCl. To this
add blue litmus and
then add NH4OH
drop wise.

Green
colour

i)

ii)

distilled water.divide
in two parts.
Part 1+NH4OH+ a
few drops of
dimethylglyoxime(D
MG)
Part 2+NaOH
solution water and
boil
Reduce the group 4
filtrate to its 1/3rd by
boiling +NH4OH
take a portion and add
(NH4OH)2CO3
solution+ warm and
allow to stand

solution
Bright Rose Ni2+
red ppt
confirmed
formed
Black ppt
forms

Ni2+
confirmed

No ppt
formed

Group 5
absent.

TABLE 2
For coins of Rs 5, Rs2 and Rs1..
S. EXPERIMENT
No
1. Observe the colour of
the coin
2. Dissolve them in
aquaregia
3. To the O.S. add dil.
HCL

OBSERVAT
ION
Silvery
white
Gas
evolved
No ppt.

INFERENC
E
Al3+, Zn may
be present
NO2 may be
present.
Group 1st is
absent.

4.
5.

i)

ii)
6.

6.

i)
ii)

To the above solution Black

pass H2S
precipitate
formed
Wash the ppt with
Bluish
water + 50% HNO3
green
and boil.
CONFIRMATORY:
Divide the solution in
three parts.
Blue colour
Part 1 + excess of
NH3.
Part 2 + Acetic acid + Chocolate
potassium
brown ppt
Ferrocynaide
To the OS add NH4Cl Reddish
and boil, and then add brown
NH4OH in excess.
precipitate
formed.
Confirmatory test:
Ppt + dil HCl
dissolve and divide in
2 portions
Portion 1+ pot
Prussian
ferrocynaide solution blue
colouration.
Portion 2+ pot.
Blood red
sulphocyanide
colouration
solution

Group 2nd is
present
Cu2+ may be
present.

Cu2+
confirmed
Cu2+
confirmed
Group 3rd
may be
present.

Fe3+
confirmed.
Fe3+
confirmed.

8.

9.

To the 3rd group

filtrate added H2S. If
ppt forms pass H2S
through the whole
solution.
Dissolve the black
ppt in aquaregia.
Evaporate to dryness.

Black ppt
formed.

Group 4
present.

Yellow
residue.

Ni2+ may be
present.

Confirmatory Test:
Yellow residue+
distilled water. Divide
in two parts.
Part 1+NH4OH+ a
few drops of
dimethylglyoxime(D
MG)
Part 2+NaOH
solution water and
boil

Green
colour
solution
Bright Rose Ni2+
red ppt
confirmed
formed
Black ppt
forms

Ni2+
confirmed

CONCLUSION
1) The one to five paisa coins contain:
Al3+, Ni2+ ions.
2) The coins of Rs 1, Rs 2, Rs 5 contain:
Cu2+, Fe3+, Ni2+ ions.

PRECAUTION
i) Handle the apparatus carefully.
ii) The solution of aquaregia prepared should be
handled carefully.
iii) The colour of the solution made after test should
be observed carefully.
iv) The chemicals should be put accurately in the test
tubes.

BIBLOGRAPHY
www.google.com
www.rbi.org.in/currency/museum/c-rep.html