Question

what you need to start, gather your supplies: white vinegar table salt a small plastic bowl paper towels a glass measuring cup a 1 - teaspoon measuring spoon 20 or more old pennies that look dull and dark 2 or more new steel paper clips (they should not be labeled \smooth finish\ or be covered with paint or plastic.) what will happen if you follow the steps in this experiment? the paper clips will get plastic paint and the pennies will look old. the paper clips will get a smooth finish and the pennies will look dark. the paper clips will get a copper coating and the pennies will look new.

Explanation:

This experiment involves a chemical reaction. Pennies are mostly copper, and the dull/dark appearance is due to copper oxide (formed from oxidation). The mixture of white vinegar (acetic acid) and table salt (sodium chloride) creates an acidic solution that can dissolve the copper oxide from the pennies, making them look new (exposing the fresh copper underneath). At the same time, the steel paper clips (iron) will act as a cathode in a galvanic cell setup with the copper ions from the dissolved copper oxide, causing copper to plate onto the paper clips, giving them a copper coating. The other options are incorrect: the paper clips aren't getting plastic paint (no paint involved) or a smooth finish (the process is plating, not changing the finish texture), and the pennies should look new (not old or dark) after the oxide is removed.

Answer:

The paper clips will get a copper coating and the pennies will look new.