Electroplating Copper



content.gif (1503 bytes)
 Code Number :   5E30.20  

Disclaimer:

Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website.

The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources.

Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA.

The University of Iowa Disclaimers:  University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..

Condition :   Good  
Principle :   Conduction of Current through Solution  
Area of Study :  Electricity & Magnetism   
Equipment :   Copper Sulfate solution (saturated), Carbon electrodes, Copper foil plate, 6 to 20 V DC Power supply, DC current range projection meter, Battery jar, Plexiglas Support Beam.

  
Procedure :   Pour the saturated copper sulfate solution into the battery jar so that it covers a good portion of the suspended electrodes. Insert the electrodes suspended from the Plexiglas rod and connect them to the power supply as shown. The resistor is inserted between the positive and negative outputs of the power supply to prevent shorting . Turn on the power supply and apply the desired voltage. The carbon electrode will become coated with copper in a short time.
conbot.gif (53 bytes)


   References

Deborah F. Buffum, "Carbon Electrodes Improvised," TPT, Vol. 35, # 5, p. 315, (May 1997).

Arun C. Venkatachar, "Determination of the Electronic Charge - Electrolysis of Water Method", TPT, Vol. 23, # 6, Sept. 1985, p. 365.

 

Ef-4:  Freier and Anderson,  A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

 

Theodore Gray, "Titanium in Technicolor", Popular Science, Aug. 2005, p. 94 - 95.

 

Joey Green, "Copper Nail", The Mad Scientist Handbook, Vol. 1, p. 11.



Mail Questions and Comments to:  Dale Stille