Silver to Black - and Back

In this Activity, students remove tarnish from silver using the reaction of tarnish with aluminum. If only untarnished silver items are available, students first tarnish them using items that contain sulfur. This Activity could be used with topics such as chemical changes, metals, electrochemistry, and redox reactions. The Activity could introduce a discussion of silver and its reactions. The topic of silver and tarnish removal can also be used in other curriculum areas, such as home economics, photography, and art conservations and restoration.