Science Fair - Cleaning Pennies

What type of solution cleans pennies the best?

After exploring different questions related to cleaning pennies, my son decided to explore different solutions.

After watching a youtube video which recommended a solution of salt and lemon juice he decided to try various combinations of salt, lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar, milk and orange juice.

He kept track of each solution tested in a scientific notebook visible in the above photo.

Three pennies were tested in each solution in case the results varied.

Once the testing was complete the results were typed and attached to a display board. Writing the results is the most difficult of a science fair project for many children, but it is a very important step. Organizing information in a logical manner is essential for all written works, and communicating results of scientific experiments is required when working with others.

Both this year and last year my son struggled with this portion of his science project, however the improvement was dramatic. After writing the results last year, this year went much smoother.