Can you use peroxide to clean pennies?
2007-01-27 07:52:10 · 4 answers · asked by Tony A P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Cleans them. Many corrosions on copper are sulfur based, and Hydrogenperoxide would release H2S gas freeing the original copper
2007-01-27 07:56:00 · answer #1 · answered by walter_b_marvin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing happens with Peroxide on copper coating of a penny. An oxide would oxidize which causes corrosion or a combinatination with an organic compound of some sort.
So you might have a chance of removing some finger grease from the penny if they were hot. But certainly not oxidized copper.
To clean a penny that is oxidized, use an ACID. Acid like Muriatic is good to clean a penny. It REDUCES the oxide coating to basic copper releasing the Oxygen bound in the oxide of copper which is the corrosion on a penny.
You cannot tell if polishing with a rag or your finger wetted in peroxide actually cleans the copper. Remember a clean rag with lots of rubbing also cleans off the oxide from copper pennies without anything except lots of elbow grease. Know your basic chemistry it will always get you thru things.
2007-01-27 17:28:52 · answer #2 · answered by James M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its only a penny. Try it and see.
2007-01-27 16:00:28 · answer #3 · answered by Jo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
y not try it and find out, only costs a cent.
2007-01-27 15:59:56 · answer #4 · answered by jamduf 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋