Year 9 Science

How do I make Silver?

So it turns out that making silver is really not that hard. You just have to grab a few things you’ve probably got lying around your house.

To start with just grab some old copper wire. If you can’t find any why not get that old extension cord that’s been hanging around in your back shed and pull the copper out of it.

Next wind the copper wire around a pencil and pop it in a test tube. What’s that? You don’t have any test tubes at home, no problem. Just pop it in the skinniest glass you have in your cupboard.

Next place the coiled copper into the glass so it hangs down but doesn’t touch the bottom.

Now you need to fill the glass up with silver nitrate. This of course is something everyone has just lying around taking up space in your fridge, so why not put it to good use.

Next watch and wait. Actually go watch Youtube cause it will probably take overnight for the reaction to take place. But the next day. Hey presto. You will have silver! A classic displacement reaction (just don’t ask me what that actually means).