Help with electroplating please

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter aaronob
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Electroplating
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 2K views
aaronob
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
help with electroplating please! :)

I have a copper penny attached to the negative terminal of a 9V battery. I have a nickel (made of the metal nickel) attached to the positive terminal. I put this circuit in water. After 20 minutes, I notice that the nickel has orange deposits on it which I believe are copper.

Why does this work? It doesn't make sense to me. I thought copper had a positive charge and would not be attracted to another positively charged object.


Thanks!

Aaron
 
Physics news on Phys.org


The copper could be corroding , and what impurities are in the water , And I assume electrolysis is going on , not really sure though.