What you do
Wash and dry a copper and nickel coin.- Stick a thin layer of ‘Blu-tack’ on one side of the copper coin so that you cover most of the coin but leave the head on the coin exposed.
Connect this coin to the negative terminal of the power pack and immerse the coin in the nickel electrolyte. Connect a piece of nickel foil to the other terminal and set up the circuit as shown in the diagram.
- Set the power pack to 4V and switch it on.
- Leave the coin in the electrolyte for five minutes.
- You should now have a nickel head on a copper coin.
OTHER THINGS TO TRY
Stripes on pieces of copper, nickel or other metal. To make stripes: Immerse your metal foil electrode in the first electrolyte (e.g. copper). Plate the entire surface with copper. Place your metal foil electrode in the second electrolyte (e.g. nickel) but leave a small length (say 0.5cm) protruding above its surface. You can then plate your metal foil with nickel, apart from the length above the surface which stays covered in copper. Place your metal foil in the first electrolyte again, but leave 1cm protruding above the surface this time. After plating, your metal foil should be covered with copper apart from two stripes of nickel and copper at the top end. Continue the process to get more stripes.
eye protection must be worn
HARMFUL
copper electrolyte
nickel electrolyte
nickel anode
wear gloves
