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Combining Nitric Acid And Copper Pennies - Toxic!

submitted by mintbbb

1 decade 3 years 5 months 4 weeks ago

YT: Warning: Do not attempt this reaction. The gases produced are dangerous and must be properly controlled and ventilated. Also, the concentrated nitric acid used can cause severe chemical burns.

When the copper on a penny reacts with nitric acid, gaseous nitrogen dioxide is produced. This is a pretty straightforward reaction, so we added some music to spice things up.

After diluting the solution towards the end, the blue color is due to the copper (II) ions.

The copper on the pennies was removed to varying extents, as can be seen at the end. The black pennies were stripped of their copper down to the zinc core.

Music: 'Starkweather' by Steve Jablonsky ('The Island' soundtrack)

8 Comments

ahh, so that's how they make blue curacao.

nitric dioxide? What happens to the copper?

I have forgotten most of my chemistry by now, so I have to just dig the equation out:

Cu(s) + 4HNO3(aq) ——> Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

Cu(NO3)2 is water soluable, that's why the liquid turns light blue (because of the copper ions).

Though I am seeing different equations on the web when I browse. Anyway, copper turns into a water soluable salt that then turns the water blue.

Sorry about a choppuy explanation. Like I said, I haven't touched chemistry in years, plus my English science vocabulary isn't up to par

Thank you so much! I used to love chemistry so much. (Not that I was any good at it, but..) Really should have gone into it.

Ever read http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/things_i_wont_work_with/ ?

Is the glass on those hoods bulletproof? Just curious...

Tags for this video have been changed from 'nitric acid, copper, pennies, toxic, fumes, nitrogen dioxide' to 'nitric acid, copper, pennies, toxic, fumes, nitrogen dioxide, smog' - edited by therealblankman

dude, i'll give you $10 to take a monster hit off that flask

>> ^ponceleon:

Is the glass on those hoods bulletproof? Just curious...

The ones I have ever used were made of plexiglass, or at least some form of plastic. I do not remmeber seeing one made with glass, but then I have never used one outside a college chemistry lab or a high school.

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