Chemistry

Project
On
Coin Analysis
Prepared By:
Saumya Kharya
XII A
Session : 2011-2012
Board Roll Number :
Father Agnel School

AIM

Qualitative
Analysis
Of
Different
Coins

CERTIFICATE
This is hereby to certify that, the original and genuine
investigation work has been carried out to investigate about
the subject matter and the related data collection and
investigation has been completed solely, sincerely and
satisfactorily by Saumya Kharya of Class-XII,Father
Agnel School, regarding her project titled Qualitative
Analysis of Coins.

Teachers Signature

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It would be my utmost pleasure to express my sincere
thanks to My Chemistry Teacher Mrs. Jyoti Verma, in
providing a helping hand in this project. Her valuable
guidance, support and supervision all through this project
titled Qualitative Analysis of Coins, is responsible for
attaining its present form.

Saumya
XII

PURPOSE
I was interested in finding out the contents of the coins we
use in everyday life money transactions. Humans have been
using coins since their invention in 700 B.C. for trading of
goods and services.
Another fact which inspired me to do this project is that I
am in touch with qualitative analysis whose knowledge
with other factors helped me to do so.

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

INTRODUCTION
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more
elements.Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase-microstructure. Alloys
usually have different properties from those of the component elements.
Alloying a metal is done by combining it with one or more other metals or non-metals
that often enhance its properties.Alloys are used in ornaments, bells, statues,
buildings, and even coins.

Coins-A Historical Approach

The history of coins extends from ancient times to the present, and is related to
economic history, the history of minting technologies, and the history of coin
collecting. Coins are still widely used for monetary and other purposes.
Since the time they were invented in 700 B.C., coins have been the most universal
embodiment of money. The first coins were made of electrum, a naturally occurring
pale yellow mixture of gold and silver that was further alloyed with silver and copper.
Some of the earliest coins were beaten at the edges to imitate the shape of a cow, in
indication of their value. Most coins are circular but some were rectangular. Also a lot
of coins, especially in China had a hole through the center so they could be tied on to
a string.Some of the earliest coins to be made purely from silver and gold were the
silver Dirham and gold Dinar.
Coins were first made of scraps of metal. Ancient coins were produced through a
process of hitting a hammer positioned over an anvil.The Chinese produced primarily
cast coinage, and this spread to South-East Asia and Japan.
The type of mintage method (being hammered, milled or cast) does limit the materials
which can be used for the coin. For example antimony coins, (which are very rare) are
nearly always cast examples, because of the brittle nature of the metal, and thus it
would break if deformed, which is a key part of the milling or hammering process.
Coins today are of great value and are used in our day-to-day lives.

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 nonmetal.
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 anticorrosion 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 CuproNickel (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.

APPARATU
S
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

Twenty Five Paise Coin (India)-

Made in 2003
Experiment

Observation

Zero Group:
Add concentrated solution of
No white fumes observed.
sodium hydroxide(NaOH) to it.
Group I:
Add dilute solution of
No white precipitate formed.
hydrochloric acid to the original
solution.
Group II:
Add dilute solution of HCl to
the original solution and pass
H2S gas through it.

No black or yellow precipitate

formed.

Inference
Ammonia(NH4+) is absent.

Pb2+,Ag2+ and Hg22+ are absent.

Pb2+,Cu2+,As3+ are absent.

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

Confirmatory For Al3+:

Lake Test:
Dissolve the white precipitate Blue precipitate is observed
obtained int dilute HCl. Add to floating in the colourless
it two drops of blue litmus
solution.
solution. To this, add NH4OH
drop wise till blue colour
develops.

Group IV:
Use the same solution as used
in Group III tests and pass H2S
gas through it.
Group V:
To the original solution, add
NH4Cl, NH4OH and
(NH4)2CO3.
Group VI:
To the original solution, add
NH4Cl, NH4OH(in excess) and
(NH4)2HPO4.

Al3+ is present.

No precipitate formed.

Co2+,Ni2+,Mn2+ and Zn2+ are

absent.

No white precipitate formed.

Ba2+,Ca2+ and Sr2+ are absent.

A white precipitate is obtained. Mg2+ may be present.

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

Fifty Cent Coin(Euro)Made in 1987

Experiment
Zero Group:
Add concentrated solution of
sodium hydroxide(NaOH) to
it.
Group I:
Add dilute solution of
hydrochloric acid to the
original solution.
Group II:
Add dilute solution of HCl to
the original solution and pass
H2S gas through it.

Observation

Inference

No white fumes observed.

Ammonia(NH4+) is absent.

No white precipitate formed.

Pb2+,Ag2+ and Hg22+ are absent.

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 Blue coloured solution obtained. Cu2+ may be present.
dilute H2SO4 and alcohol.
When there is no white
precipitate,add NH4OH in
excess.
Potassium ferrocyanide test:
To one part of the blue solution A chocolate brown precipitate is Cu2+ is present.
add acetic acid and potassium obtained.
ferrocyanide solution.
Potassium Iodide test:
A white precipitate is formed in
To another part add acetic acid the brown coloured solution.
and potassium iodide solution.

Cu2+ is present.

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

Al3+,Cr3+,Fe3+,Fe2+ are absent.

Group IV:
Use the same solution as used A dull white precipitate is
in Group III tests and pass H2S obtained.
gas through it.

Zn2+ may be present.

Confirmatory for Zn2+:

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

Potassium ferrocyanide test:

To another part, add potassium A white or bluish white
ferrocyanide solution.
precipitate.

Zn2+ is present.

RESULT
Twenty Paise Coin of India contains Zinc(Zn2+) and Copper(Cu2+).

Two Rupees Coin (India)Made in 2003

Experiment

Observation

Zero Group:
Add concentrated solution of No white fumes observed.
sodium hydroxide(NaOH) to it.
Group I:
Add dilute solution of
hydrochloric acid to the
original solution.
Group II:
Add dilute solution of HCl to
the original solution and pass
H2S gas through it.

Inference
Ammonia(NH4+) is absent.

No white precipitate formed.

Pb2+,Ag2+ and Hg22+ are absent.

A black precipitate obtained.

Cu2+ may be present.

Blue coloured solution

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.

Potassium ferrocyanide test:

To one part of the blue solution A chocolate brown precipitate
add acetic acid and potassium is obtained.
ferrocyanide solution.
Potassium Iodide test:
To another part add acetic acid
and potassium iodide solution.

Cu2+ is present.

A white precipitate is formed in Cu2+ is present.

the brown coloured solution.

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

Al3+,Cr3+,Fe3+,Fe2+ are absent.

Group IV:
Use the same solution as used A black precipitate is obtained.
in Group III tests and pass H2S
gas through it.

Ni2+ may be present.(If the

original solution is green).

Confirmatory for Ni2+:

Dimethyl glyoxime test: To
one part of the original
solution add ammonium
hydroxide solution and few
drops of dimethyl glyoxime.
Sodium hydroxide - bromine
water test:
To another part add sodium
hydroxide (in excess) and
bromine water and boil.

A bright rose red precipitate is

obtained.

Ni2+ is present.

A black precipitate is obtained. Ni2+ is present.

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

One Rupee Coin (India)Made in 2010

Experiment

Observation

Zero Group:
Add concentrated solution of No white fumes observed.
sodium hydroxide(NaOH) to it.
Group I:
Add dilute solution of
hydrochloric acid to the
original solution.
Group II:
Add dilute solution of HCl to
the original solution and pass
H2S gas through it.

No white precipitate formed.

Inference
Ammonia(NH4+) is absent.

Pb2+,Ag2+ and Hg22+ are absent.

Pb2+,Cu2+,As3+ are absent.

No black or yellow precipitate
formed.

Group III:
Add NH4Cl and NH4OH(in
A reddish brown precipitate is
excess) to the original solution. obtained.

Fe3+ may be present.

Confirmatory for Fe3+:

Dissolve the reddish brown
precipitate in dilute HCl, and
divide the solution into two
parts.
Potassium ferrocyanide test:
To one part of the above
solution add potassium
ferrocyanide solution.

Prussian Blue colouration is

obtained.

Potassium sulphocyanide test:

To the second part, add a little Blood red colouration is
potassium sulphocyanide
obtained.
solution.

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

Fe3+ is present.

Fe3+ is present.

RESULT
Amount

Country

Year

Ions present

Twenty Paise Coin India

1938

Al3+ and Mg2+ ions

One Cent Coin

U.S.A

1987

Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions

Two Rupee Coin

India

2003

Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions

One Rupee coin

India

2010

Fe3+ ion

BIBLIOGRAPHY
LABORATORY MANUAL OF CHEMISTRY
BY- VEENA SURI

DINESH COMPANION CHEMISTRY

BY- S.K. MALHOTRA

WEBSITES

http://www.wikipedia.com

http://www.cbseprotal.com