Video title: Why is the Statue of Liberty green?
Statue of Liberty
New York, USA
The Statue of Liberty in New York is one of the world's most famous landmarks, but it hasn't always had its iconic green colour.
When it was first made in 1886, it was a golden colour.
So what happened?
The statue is made of the metal copper.
copper
Over time, the copper has gone through a chemical change, also known as a chemical reaction.
Chemical Reaction
Chemical reactions always involve two or more substances reacting together to produce new substances.
The new substances can be solids, liquids or gases.
chemical reaction
produces new substances
can be solids, liquids or gases
A candle burning is another example of a chemical reaction.
The wax reacts with oxygen in the air to produce water and carbon dioxide.
oxygen
water
carbon dioxide
A chemical change is different to a physical change, like an ice cream melting.
When a substance melts, it changes physical state, but no new substances are produced.
physical change
no new substances produced
So, what about the Statue of Liberty?
Over many years the copper has reacted with water and gases in the air...
water
air
copper carbonate
… producing a new green substance called copper carbonate.
So it's thanks to a chemical reaction that the once golden Statue of Liberty now has a green skin of copper carbonate.
Chemical reactions produce new substances.
New York, USA
The Statue of Liberty in New York is one of the world's most famous landmarks, but it hasn't always had its iconic green colour.
When it was first made in 1886, it was a golden colour.
So what happened?
The statue is made of the metal copper.
copper
Over time, the copper has gone through a chemical change, also known as a chemical reaction.
Chemical Reaction
Chemical reactions always involve two or more substances reacting together to produce new substances.
The new substances can be solids, liquids or gases.
chemical reaction
produces new substances
can be solids, liquids or gases
A candle burning is another example of a chemical reaction.
The wax reacts with oxygen in the air to produce water and carbon dioxide.
oxygen
water
carbon dioxide
A chemical change is different to a physical change, like an ice cream melting.
When a substance melts, it changes physical state, but no new substances are produced.
physical change
no new substances produced
So, what about the Statue of Liberty?
Over many years the copper has reacted with water and gases in the air...
water
air
copper carbonate
… producing a new green substance called copper carbonate.
So it's thanks to a chemical reaction that the once golden Statue of Liberty now has a green skin of copper carbonate.
Chemical reactions produce new substances.
Did you know that the Statue of Liberty hasn't always been green?
Learning points
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