Chemistry Project

Qualitative Analysis of Different Coins

Name: Jasveer Dhillon

Class: XII-G
Board Roll No: 15608139

 Certificate
This is to certify that Jasveer Singh Dhillon of standard
XII has completed the Chemistry project in partial
fulfilment of the curriculum of All India Senior
Secondary Certificate Examination (AISSCE).

This project was carried out at R.N. PODAR SCHOOL

laboratory during the academic year 2022-23.

___________________ ____________________
External Examiner Internal Examiner

_____________________ _____________________
School Stamp Principal

 Acknowledgement

I would like to express my deepest regards to the principal, Mrs.

Anvita Bir, for providing us with the infrastructure and facilities
for the project.

I would further like to extend my thanks to my chemistry teacher

(Mrs. Rashmi Upadhya) under whose guidance this project was
performed. Her constant support and invaluable guidance helped
me to achieve completion of this project.

I also want to express my gratitude to the Chemistry Department

of the school and Chemistry laboratory in-charge, Neha Ma’am.

Last but not the least, I want to thank my family for their moral
support.

 Index

• Theory
• Apparatus
• Chemicals Required
• 20 Paise Coin (India)
• 1 Cent Coin (U.S.A)
• 2 Rupee Coin (India)
• 1 Rupee Coin (India)
• Result
• Conclusion

 Aim

Determination of metal ions present in the sample coins

(Rs.5 Indian, US cents, 10 Nepalese rupee, Indian 10 paise 1980



 THEORY
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is
produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily
can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated
country, region, or territory.
Coins are usually metal or a metallic material and sometimes made of
synthetic materials, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often
issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in
transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to
the storage of large numbers of bullion coins. In the present day, coins
and banknotes make up currency, the cash forms of all modern money
systems.
An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of two or more metals or a metal
and non-metal.
They are generally harder than their components with reduced
malleability and ductility. Alloys are prepared to enhance certain
characteristics of the constituent metals, as per requirement.The
coinage metals comprise, at minimum, those metallic chemical
elements which have historically been used as components in alloys
used to mint coins.
Coins that are intended for circulation have some special requirements
based on the conditions they will encounter. For example, a coin may
be in circulation for up to 30 years, and so must have excellent wear
resistance and anti-corrosion properties. Achieving this goal
necessitates the use of base metal alloys. Some metals like manganese
have occasionally been used in coins, but suffer from making the
coins too hard to take an impression well.
A common base metal alloy for everyday coinage is Cupro-Nickel
(also cupronickel), with varying proportions of copper and nickel,
most commonly 75% Cu 25% Ni. Cupronickel has a silver color, is
hard wearing and has excellent striking properties, essential for the
design of the coin to be pressed accurately and quickly during
manufacture.

 APPARATUS
• Test Tubes
• Test Tube Holder
• Test Tube Stand
• Beaker
• Burner
• Tripod Stand
• pH Paper
• Wire Gauge
• Water Bath
• Filter Paper

 CHEMICALS
REQUIRED
• Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Hydrogen Sulphide Gas
• Nitric Acid (HNO3)
• Ammonium Acetate
• Potassium Iodide
• Potassium Chromate
• Potassium Ferrocyanide
• Ammonium Hydroxide
• Ammonium Chloride
• Potassium Sulphocyanide
• Potassium Nitrite
• Ammonium Thiocyanide
• Dimethyl Glyoxime
• Bromine Water
• Ammonium Carbonate
• Ammonium Phosphate

 Ten Paise Coin (India)-

Made in 1980
Experiment Observation Inference
Zero Group: No white fumes Ammonia (NH4+)
Add concentrated observed. is absent.
solution of sodium
hydroxide(NaOH)
to it
Group I: No white Pb2+, Ag2+ and
Add dilute solution precipitate Hg22+ are
of hydrochloric formed. absent.
acid to the original
solution.
Group II: No black or yellow Pb2+, Cu2+,As3+
Add dilute solution precipitate are absent.
of HCl to the formed.
original solution
and pass H2S gas
through it.
Group II: A white precipitate Al3+ may be
Add dilute solution is obtained. present.
of HCl to the
original solution
and pass H2S gas
through it.

 One Cent Coin (U.S.A)-Made in

1987
Experiment Observation Inference
Zero Group: No white fumes Ammonia (NH4+)
Add concentrated observed. is absent.
solution of sodium
hydroxide (NaOH)
to it.
Group I: No white Pb2+, Ag2+ and
Add dilute solution precipitate Hg22+ are
of hydrochloric formed. absent.
acid to the original
solution.
Group II: Add A black precipitate Cu2+ may be
dilute solution of obtained. present.
HCl to the original
solution and pass
H2S gas through
it.
 Con rmatory for Cu2+:
Heat the black Blue coloured Cu2+ may be
precipitate with solution obtained. present.
1-2 ml of 50%
HNO3.The
precipitate
dissolves and add
dilute H2SO4 and
alcohol. When
there is no white
precipitate,add
NH4OH in excess.
Group IV: A dull white Zn2+ may be
Use the same precipitate is present.
solution as used in obtained.
Group III tests and
pass H2S gas
through it.
Con rmatory for Zn2+:

Sodium A white precipitate Zn2+ is present.

hydroxide test: is obtained. Add
To one part of the more NaOH to
original solution dissolve the
add sodium precipitate.
hydroxide 

solution drop-
wise.
fi
fi
 Five Rupee Coin (India)
Zero Group: No white Ammonia
Add concentrated solution fumes (NH4+) is
of sodium observed. absent.
hydroxide(NaOH) to it.
Group I: No white Pb2+, Ag2+
Add dilute solution precipitate and Hg22+ are
of hydrochloric acid to formed. absent
the original solution.
Group II: A black Cu2+ may be
Add dilute solution of HCl precipitate present.
to the original solution and obtained.
pass H2S gas through it.

Group III: A white Al3+, Cr3+,

Add NH4Cl and NH4OH precipitate is Fe3+, Fe2+ are
(in excess) to the original obtained. absent.
solution. A black Ni2+ may be
precipitate is present.(If the
. obtained. original solution
is green).

 Con rmatory for Ni2+

Dimethyl glyoxime A bright rose Ni2+ is present.
test: red precipitate
To one part of the is obtained.
original solution add
ammonium hydroxide
solution and few drops
of dimethyl glyoxime.
fi
 Ten Nepalese Rupee
Experiment Observation Inference
Zero Group: No white fumes Ammonia (NH4+)
Add concentrated observed. is absent.
solution of sodium
hydroxide(NaOH)
to it
Group I: No white Pb2+, Ag2+ and
Add dilute solution precipitate Hg22+ are
of hydrochloric formed. absent.
acid to the original
solution.
Group II: No black or yellow Pb2+, Cu2+,As3+
Add dilute solution precipitate are absent.
of HCl to the formed.
original solution
and pass H2S gas
through it.
Group III: A white precipitate Al3+ may be
Add NH4Cl and is obtained. present.
NH4OH(in
excess) to the
original solution.

 Result
Amount Country Year Ions
present
10 paise India 1980 Al+ ions
5 rupee India 2010 Cu2+
and Ni+ ions
1 cent USA 2000 Cu2+
and Fe2+
ions
10 paise Nepal 2010 Al+ ions

 Conclusion
• From the following tests and experiments we can conclude that
the coins made by various countries mostly contain alloys.

• Alloys prevent corrosion which makes the coins last long.

• Apart from the alloys present in the coins, from the experiments
we can conclude that the coins must also be covered with a outer
coating, as the initial dissolving of the coins took a large amount
of time. But when the initial layer wears off, the dissolving
speeds up.



 PRECAUTIONS
• Concentrated solutions should be handled with immense care.

• Hands should be washed thoroughly after performing each

experiment.

• If possible, one should wear hand gloves to prevent from any

possible damage.

• If chemicals come into contact with your skin or eyes, flush

immediately with copious amounts of water.

• Stay away from the fumes which originate from the beakers
of coins with aqua-regia














 BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://www.icbse.com

• https://thechemistryguru.com/

• Chemistry For Class XII by NCERT