Juan Miguel Arcayena

11/26/15 - 12/5/15
Chemistry - Blk. 6
Innovative Design Proj. - Coin Design
Section A.
1. Physically, the weight of a penny is around 3 grams. It has a copper like color that can be
darken over time and a smell similar to iron/copper. The elements that a coin is made
are copper and zinc. Some chemical reactions of a penny is, it will react when you put
water in it, it will eventually remove rust. If a coin is put in bleach, the rust and color will
also be removed.
2. The one dollar bill weighs around a gram. The bill has a greenish-yellow type of color.
Usually a dollar doesnt have a smell, it is odorless most of the time. An example of its
chemical property would be is that if a dollar bill is put in water, the bright color of it will
turn darker.
3. Metalloids would be the best primary material for a new coin because it makes the coin
more durable and flexible. With its mix of metals and nonmetals, germanium an example
of a metalloid, has many alloys, which is important in coinage metals that is used in
making money.
4. I considered the elements that is within a coin, like a penny. How these elements are
used in the process of making currency.
5. I found the composition of the current currency in the United States Mint, the primary
producer of US coins.
6. I decided they are the most reliable because theyre the one that make money in our
country.
7. A US one-dollar coin is mainly composed of manganese-brass, with 80% copper (Cu),
6% zinc (Zn), 3.5% manganese (Mn), 2% nickel (Ni).
8. Materials that compose a dollar bill is commonly 25% linen fibers and 75% cotton fibers,
now linen is being replaced by synthetic fibers. So now it is 80% cotton and 20%
synthetic fibers.

Section B.
Current coins in circulation today is composed of the elements of copper, zinc, nickel, and
manganese. Copper, zinc, nickel, and manganese are all located in the metal section of the
periodic table.
I think magnesium isnt quite suitable for use in a coin, even though it is one of the most
commonly used in the metal family. It burns and oxidises quickly once it is hot, so in the process
of making coins it wouldn't help.
Some pros to the dollar coins is that it would be cheaper than making paper money. The costs
would save the government in the next 30 years, but the switch would be more expensive in the
first four years. Another con is that it would affect many businesses and have some drawback.
This argument is from an article published by NPR.
Pros and cons of dollar bills is commonly linked to the argument of paper money versus credit
cards. Positives of using paper money is that people are more aware of their spending when
using dollar bills. There are also less risks of identity theft. Negatives would be, is that there is a
higher risk of theft and robbery. There isnt anything that tracks how you spend money.

Section C.

Metals

1.

of Dollar Coins

Origin

copper - C
hile,
United States,
Peru, China,
Australia

zinc -
China,
Australia,
Peru, Canada,
United States

manganese Brazil, China,

South Africa,
Australia,
Gabon

nickel -
Russia,
Canada,
Indonesia,
Australia, New
Caledonia

Mining Type

underground,
open pits

underground

open pits

open pits

Processing
Type

smelting,
hydrometallur
gical process

smelting,
electrowinning
process

smelting,
hydrometallur
gical process,
electrolytic

smelting,
carbonyl

Cost

$2. 05/lb
($4,524.99/t)

$0.68/lb
($1,505.54/t)

$1.63/kg

$3.97/lb
($8,760.07/t)

Competing
uses

It is used in the
electrical and
electronic
products,

It is used for
protective
coatings of
steel.

It is used in
dry cell
batteries to
prevent the

It is the most
used metal.
Used in
consumer,

power cables,
wiring and
water tubing.
2.

formation of
hydrogen.

militarily,
industrial, and
transportation.

The average dollar coin would stay in circulation for about thirty years, while a dollar bill
would merely be in circulation for about eighteen months. Within its thirty year lifespan,
a dollar coin would see many transactions, in many vending machines, to being wrapped
for change. At the end of its life cycle, the banks return them to the Federal reserve where
they destroy it and melt it.

3. When they are mined or processed is where they consume the most energy. This is the
part or during the process when the chemical elements like copper, nickel, zinc,
manganese are all mixed together. Energy is also consumed when its is destroyed or are
the end of its circulation when its melted.
4. During the mining process, especially during the reduction of the mineral or material in
an ore to produce the metal for the dollar coin.
5. Wastes and emissions are created when it is used or during the competing uses. During
this people use the dollar coin. When they are transported to different industries to use.
6. I think the location or identity of the ore deposits doesnt affect the life cycle of the coins
because the coins will only be effected through its mining processed and during its
lifespan.
7. As I said in the previous question, the dollar coin stays in circulation for about thirty
years. The materials are then removed from the coin and destroyed. The coins are then
melted so that the materials and elements can be taken out from the coin.

Section D.
1. The one dollar bill isnt that completely recycled. The note is bleached, so that the ink
would come off. Then of ink the paper is shredded and put into landfill, or recycled as
roofing tiles. Only 10% of the bills are recycled as tiles, meaning the rest becomes
landfill. The effects of landfill are not beneficial to the environment. They pollute
waterways with CO2 and different gasses in the atmosphere and reduce the amount of
usable materials.
2. These raw materials will affect not only local, but the global environment as well.
Because these chemical elements and gasses will now go into the air and earths

atmosphere. It will not only spread in the local community or city, but the country and
eventually the world.
3. The cotton and linen that is use to make dollar notes can be reuse and be renewable,
even the dollar bill is made to be non-renewable. The paper bill without its ink after it is
bleached, can be use for roofing tiles as 10% of bills are done after it isnt use in circulation.
Meanwhile, for the dollar coin the nickel, zinc, copper, and manganese all can be
renewable, especially the copper that is used. The copper is the most used element to make a
coin. With that when it is melted, it can reused to make wires and cables for electrical products,
as well as for infrastructure. Nickel also can be reused for common things and construction.
Most things or items that we use everyday are made from nickel. These products can be cell
phones to office and school items to jewelry.