Question
How did we know that Zinc was added to the coin to make it look silver?
Answers
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Scientists use a variety of methods to identify the composition of materials, including coins. In the case of silver-colored coins, such as U.S. pennies made after 1982, they use a technique called X-ray fluorescence (XRF).
XRF works by bombarding the sample with X-rays, which causes the atoms in the sample to emit a characteristic energy signature that can be detected and analyzed. By comparing the energy signature of the sample to a database of known materials, scientists can determine the composition of the sample, including if it contains zinc.
So it is through XRF and other analytical techniques that scientists have been able to determine that zinc has been added to coins to make them look silver.
XRF works by bombarding the sample with X-rays, which causes the atoms in the sample to emit a characteristic energy signature that can be detected and analyzed. By comparing the energy signature of the sample to a database of known materials, scientists can determine the composition of the sample, including if it contains zinc.
So it is through XRF and other analytical techniques that scientists have been able to determine that zinc has been added to coins to make them look silver.