CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

REMOVING
TARNISH FROM
SILVER
 Certificate

This is to certify that _____________________________of

Class_______________ , Delhi Public School -Whitefield,
Bangalore has successfully completed_________Project
entitled

for Chemistry project for the AISSCE as prescribed by CBSE in the

year 2022-23.

Date:
Registration no.

Signature of Internal Examiner Signature of External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of
gratitude to my teacher Mom Saha as
who gave me the golden opportunity to
do this wonderful project on the topic
‘Removing Tarnish from Silver’, which
also helped me in doing a lot of Research
and I came to know about so many new
things, I am really thankful to them.
Secondly I would also like to thank my
parents and friends who helped me a lot
in finalizing this project within the
limited time frame.

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INDEX
S.No. Heading Pg. No.

1 Certificate 1

2 Acknowledgement 2

3 Index 3

4 Introduction 4

5 Aim 5

6 Method 5

7 Material Required 6

8 Procedure 6

9 Observation 8

10 Inference 8

11 Conclusion 8

12 Images of Experiment 9

13 Bibliography 11

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INTRODUCTION
After reading an article, I realized using silver
utensils have many benefits. Food cooked in
silver is more safe because of the non-toxic and
less reactive nature of silver. Also, Silver has
antibacterial properties and promotes good
digestion.

I had remembered that we had a few silver

utensils at home. So, with some enthusiasm, I
opened the shelf with those silver utensils only
to see the silver utensils tarnished.

I felt the need to clean it. I tried to remove the

tarnish by rubbing it with soap, but the result
was not satisfactory. Thus, I did some research
on how to clean tarnished silver.

When silver is exposed to air, it reacts with

Sulphur-containing compounds in the air to
form Silver Sulphide (Ag2S), a grayish-blackish
solid which forms a dull coloured layer over the
silver surface. This is how silver tarnishes.
2 Ag(s) + H2S(g) ---> Ag2S(s) + H2(g)
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To remove Silver Suphide, we can react it with
Aluminium, a metal easily available for us
(Aluminium foil). Since, Aluminium has a
greater reactivity towards Sulphur than
Silver, because Aluminium is present above
Silver in the reactivity series, Aluminium
displaces the sulphur in silver sulphide to
form aluminium sulphide and silver.
3 Ag2S(s) + 2 Al(s) ---> 6 Ag(s) + Al2S3(s)

Thus, we will analyze how to make the above

reaction occur. We will investigate the
chemicals and physical conditions required
for the above reaction.

AIM
To remove tarnish from Silver.

METHOD
By making the below reaction occur:
3 Ag2S(s) + 2 Al(s) ---> 6 Ag(s) + Al2S3(s)

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MATERIAL REQUIRED
• Tarnished Silver Utensil
• Baking Soda
• Aluminium Foil
• Brush
• Glass Container
(Large enough to immerse the silver utensil)
• Pot
(To heat the water)
• Burner
• Water
(Sufficient to immerse the silver)
• Tongs/ Pot holders
(To handle the pot with hot water)

PROCEDURE
• Pour some water in a pot. The pot should
be large enough to hold the silver utensil.
The water should be sufficient to
immerse the silver utensil.

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• Place the pot on a burner and heat the water
until it boils. If you observe bubbles, it means
the water has boiled.
• Switch off the burner after the water boils.
• Transfer the hot water from the pot to a glass
container. Use tongs to handle the hot pot. A
glass container is used, because baking soda
can cause stains on steel containers.
• Add a piece of aluminium foil, whose size is
similar to an A4 sheet in the boiling water.
• Immerse it in the water by pushing them with
the backside of the tongs.
• Add a cup of baking soda in the container.
You will observe some fizz.
• Add the silver utensil in the glass container.
• Immerse it in the water by pushing them with
the backside of the tongs.
• Leave the apparatus undisturbed for a few
minutes.
• Remove the silver utensil from the water and
wipe it with a cloth.

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OBSERVATION
Fizz is observed after adding baking soda.
The silver utensil has a nice lustre and shine.
Thin pale yellow flakes are observed at the
bottom of the glass container.

INFERENCE
Fizz is observed because baking soda
(NaHCO3) forms carbon dioxide (CO2) on
reaction with water.
The flakes observed is the aluminium sulphide
formed.

CONCLUSION
The above method is an effective and successful
way to remove tarnish from silver.

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IMAGES OF EXPERIMENT

9
Fizz observed Flaky deposit

Final Product Difference in shine

Before After

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://blog.teachersource.com/201
4/01/18/chemistry-of-tarnished-sil
ver/
• http://scifun.org/HomeExpts/tarni
sh.html
• https://www.google.co.in/
• https://web.whatsapp.com/
• https://entrar.in/

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