CHEMISTRY

MARCH
INVESTIGATORY
2023
PROJECT

COIN ANALYSIS u.kishore

VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM PADAPPAI
NAME :
CLASS :
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Certified that this is a bonafide record of project work done by

Mr / Miss……………………………………………………………..
in the ………………………………………………………...on the
topic ………………………………………………………..during
the year 2022-2023.

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Principal Internal Examiner External Examiner

 Acknowledgement

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude

to my teacher as well as our director and vice
principal who gave me the golden opportunity to do
this wonderful project . It helped me in doing a lot of
research and I came to know about so many things , I
am really thankful to them .

I would also thank my parents and friends who

helped me a lot finalizing within the limited time
frame.
Investigatory
Project on
Coin Analysis
 CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Theory

• Apparatus

• Chemicals Required

• 20 Paise Coin (India)

• 1 Cent Coin (U.S.A)

• 2 Rupee Coin (India)

• 1 Rupee Coin (India)

• Result

• Conclusion

• Precaution

• BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION
A coin is a small, flat, round piece of Metal used primarily as a medium of
exchange. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities to
facilitate the trade. They are most often issued by a government. Coins often have
images, numerals, or text on them. Coins are usually metal or an alloy, or
sometimes made of manmade materials. They are usually disc shaped. Coins
made of valuable metal are stored in large quantities as bullion coins. Exceptions
to the rule of face value being higher than content value also occur for some
bullion coins made of copper, silver, or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such
as platinum or palladium)
 THEORY
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.
 MATERIALS REQUIRED
1.Test tube 2. Test Tube Holder

3. Test Tube Stand 4. Beaker

5. Burner 6. Tripod Stand

7. pH Paper
 CHEMICALS REQURIED
• 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
 Twenty Paise Coin (India)-Made in 2003
Experiment Observation Inference

Zero Group:

Add concentrated solution of sodium No white fumes observed. Ammonia (NH4+) is absent.
hydroxide(NaOH) to it

Group I:

Add dilute solution of hydrochloric No white precipitate formed. Pb2+, Ag2+ and Hg22+ are absent.
acid to the original solution.

Group II:

No black or yellow precipitate

Add dilute solution of HCl to the
original solution and pass H2S gas formed. Pb2+, Cu2+, As3+ are absent.
through it.

Group III:

Add NH4Cl and NH4OH(in excess) to A white precipitate is obtained. Al3+ may be present.
the original solution.

RESULT
Twenty Paise Coin of India contains Aluminum (Al3+) and Magnesium (Mg2+).

Twenty Paise
 One Cent Coin (U.S.A)-Made in 1987
Experiment Observation Inference

Zero Group:

Add concentrated solution of sodium No white fumes observed. Ammonia (NH4+) is absent.
hydroxide (NaOH) to it.

Group I:
Pb2+, Ag2+ and Hg22+ are

Add dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to No white precipitate formed. absent.

the original solution.

Group II: Add dilute solution of HCl to the

original solution and pass H2S gas through

it. A black precipitate obtained. Cu2+ may be present.

Confirmatory for Cu2+:

Heat the black precipitate with 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. Blue coloured solution obtained. Cu2+ may be present.

Potassium ferrocyanide test:

A chocolate brown precipitate is

To one part of the blue solution add acetic obtained. Cu2+ is present.
acid and potassium ferrocyanide solution.
Potassium Iodide test:
A white precipitate is formed in

To another part add acetic acid and the brown coloured solution. Cu2+ is present.
potassium iodide solution.

Group III:
Al3+,Cr3+,Fe3+,Fe2+ are

Add NH4Cl and NH4OH(in excess) to the A white precipitate is obtained. absent.
original solution.

Group IV:
A dull white precipitate is

Use the same solution as used in Group III obtained. Zn2+ may be present.
tests and pass H2S gas through it.
Confirmatory for Zn2+:

Sodium hydroxide test:

A white precipitate is obtained.

To one part of the original solution add Add more NaOH to dissolve the
sodium hydroxide
precipitate. Zn2+ is present.
solution drop-wise.

Potassium ferrocyanide test:

A white or bluish white

To another part, add potassium Zn2+ is present.

ferrocyanide solution. precipitate.
RESULT
One cent coin USA contains Zinc (Zn2+) and Copper (Cu2+).

One Cent Coin

 One Rupee Coin (India)-Made in 2010

Experiment Observation Inference

Zero Group:

Add concentrated solution of sodium No white fumes observed. Ammonia (NH4+) is absent.
hydroxide(NaOH) to it.

Group I:
No white precipitate Pb2+, Ag2+ and Hg22+ are

Add dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to formed. absent.

the original solution.

Group II:

Add dilute solution of HCl to the original solution No black or yellow

and pass H2S gas through it. precipitate formed. Pb2+, Cu2+, As3+ are absent.

Group III:
A reddish brown precipitate

Add NH4Cl and NH4OH(in excess) to the original is obtained. Fe3+ may be present.
solution.

Confirmatory for Fe3+:

Dissolve the reddish brown precipitate in dilute HCl, and divide the solution into two parts.
Potassium sulphocyanide test:
Blood red colouration

To the second part, add a little potassium is obtained. Fe3+ is present.

sulphocyanide solution.

RESULT
Two Rupee Coin of India contains Iron (Fe3+).

One Rupee coin

 Two Rupees Coin (India)-Made in 2003
Observation Inference

Zero Group:

Add concentrated solution of sodium No white fumes observed. Ammonia (NH4+) is absent.
hydroxide(NaOH) to it.

Group I:
No white precipitate Pb2+, Ag2+ and Hg22+ are

Add dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to formed. absent

the original solution.

Group II:
A black precipitate

Add dilute solution of HCl to the original obtained. Cu2+ may be present.
solution and pass H2S gas through it.

Heat the black recipitate with 1-2 ml of 50%

HNO3. The precipitate dissolves and add dilute

H2SO4 and alcohol. When there is no Blue coloured

white precipitate, add NH4OH in excess. solution obtained. Cu2+ may be present.

Potassium ferrocyanide test:

A chocolate brown

To one part of the blue solution add acetic acid precipitate is obtained. Cu2+ is present.
and potassium ferrocyanide solution.
 A white precipitate is

formed in the brown

coloured solution. Cu2+ is present.

Al3+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Fe2+ are

Group III: absent.

A white precipitate is Ni2+ may be present.(If the

Add NH4Cl and NH4OH (in excess) to the
original solution. obtained. original solution is green).

A black precipitate is
obtained.

Confirmatory for Ni2+

Dimethyl glyoxime test:

A bright rose red

To one part of the original solution add
ammonium hydroxide solution and few drops precipitate is obtained. Ni2+ is present.
of dimethyl glyoxime.

Sodium hydroxide – bromine

 A black precipitate is

water test: obtained. Ni2+ is present.

To another part add sodium

hydroxide (in excess) and

bromine water and boil.

RESULT
Two Rupee Coin of India contains Copper (Cu2+) and Nickel (Ni2+).

Two Rupee coin

 CONCLUSION
The metals present in the coins which we taken are

Amount Country Year Ion’s present

Twenty Paise Coin India 1985 Al3+ and Mg2+ ions

One Cent Coin U.S.A 1987 Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions

One Rupee coin India 2010 Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions

Two Rupee Coin India 2003 Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions

PRECAUTIONS
• ALWAYS WEAR LAB COAT AND GLOVES.

• DO NOT DISTURB THE SOLUTION FOR 3 DAYS.

• CLEAN THE COINS BEFORE DOING TEST.

• DO NOT SHAKE THE AQUA REGIA VIGOROUSLY.

• THE APPARATUS TO BE USED SHOULD BE CLAENED THOROUGHLY.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://thechemistryguru.com
https://www.thoughtco.com
https://www.dreamstime.com
https://www.mdpi.com