Cross River What makes a penny super shiny? Ask some Cross River SINAI@RYNJ students, who recently did their own investigation. Using the scientific method of asking questions, making hypotheses, doing experiments (in this case pouring liquids such as water and soap on the pennies), and talking about their discoveries, the students were shocked to discover that ketchup did the trick!

The students learned that pennies have copper in them, just like the Statue of Liberty, and that exposure to air takes away the shine. They even wondered what would happen if they poured a ton of ketchup all over the Statue of Liberty!