Never polish your tarnished silver-plated silverware again! Instead, set up a ‘silverware carwash’ where you earn a nickel for every piece you clean. (Just don’t let grandma in on your little secret!)


We’ll be using chemistry and electricity together (electrochemistry) to make a battery that reverses the chemical reaction that puts tarnish on grandma’s good silver.  It’s safe, simple, and just needs a grown-up to help with the stove.


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Comments

33 Responses to “Silver Battery”

  1. shawna_foxsackett says:

    it’s impressive how well this cleans the silverware. I’ll have to remember this in the future, it could be very useful.

  2. Sorry about that! I’ve replaced this video several times, and the audio keeps getting stripped off. I’ve updated it again – please let me know if you still have trouble!

  3. Kevashell says:

    Just like almost all other comments, I have no sound:(

  4. Robin Skinner says:

    Well that saved me a ton of time, it didn’t get every stain out but they are noticeably cleaner

  5. There’s not an easy way to know which way the ions will flow (and which ions you have) without a little more knowledge of chemistry. For now, I can tell you which is which for an experiment. When you get a little further along, you’ll be able to tell for yourself! 🙂

  6. Try turning up both speakers and see if that works…??

  7. Julia Raudenbush says:

    We did the experiment with the written lesson – how do we know that the silver is positive and the foil is negative? In the lesson it just states this. How could we determine that the silverware is positive?

    Thanks!

  8. Julia Raudenbush says:

    We don’t have any sound either. Other videos work, both from this site and Youtube. Help!

  9. Make sure BOTH speakers are turned up. What happens if you try a different device?

  10. MERRI WELT says:

    I don’t have any audio on this video… could you help please? (I have tried everything!)

  11. Did you turn up both the speakers? What happens when you try a different computer?

  12. K&M Rocks says:

    No sound for us either, but we will try experiment tomorrow anyway! 🙂

  13. What happens if you try a different computer?

  14. Michelle Palmer says:

    I’m not getting any sound on this video. My volume is up and other videos work.

  15. I have sound over here… what happens if you try a different computer – does that work?

  16. Yunhee Christian says:

    This is good, but why is there no sound? I turned the speakers up AND down!!! What is going on!?!?!?!!!???

  17. Try turning up BOTH speakers…

    What happens if you try a different computer?

  18. Anne Larsen says:

    Still no sound…

  19. You’re right – the sound didn’t come through. I’ll re-upload this today. Sorry about that!

  20. adamsclaire says:

    I am not getting any sound either. so I don’t think its fixed.

  21. Gold does not tarnish. It can appear tarnished due to the presence of other metals used in the making the gold alloy for the jewelry. What looks like tarnish is actually dirt, oils, or residue from lotion, probably transferred from the hands. Soaking in dish soap and then gently rubbing with a Q-tip, then rinsing and drying should clean up any gold items you have.

  22. Heather Beltran says:

    Does this experiment work with gold? My sisters and I would like to know.

    Thank you!

  23. Wilma Miller says:

    Be careful what you shine. DO NOT use silver coins it will decrease the value.
    Benjamin

  24. Lydia Fancher says:

    that is really cool! How many times a week do you post a new video? I am running out of videos to watch lol… maybe they are hiding from me…

  25. Lydia Fancher says:

    so it cleans it?

  26. Michelle Lindsey says:

    this was so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  27. The way the videos play on your computer depends on the speed of your internet connection. Here’s a trick you can use: hit PLAY on a video, then hit PAUSE. Wait for it to load completely, then hit PLAY again. Does that fix it?

  28. afshan saifuddin says:

    Some of the videos in this unit are not downloading and hence not playing contineuously.

  29. Yes, as long as they are real silver, and the tarnish is the black stuff like in the video. Try it on a small part of the piece first, just in case. 🙂

  30. Debra Thomson says:

    That is awesome! So obviously it would work on earrings and necklaces too?… 🙂
    Thank you!

  31. Oops! Looks like a problem when we uploaded the video. I’ve fixed it, so try again?

  32. Stephen Chisholm says:

    I am not getting any sound for this video. Can you help me out?