answersLogoWhite

0

Because copper is the chief metal in a US penny. Actually, a penny has cost more to produce than it's face value for quite some time. They make it up in dimes and quarters.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Earth Science

A sheet of copper can be pounded into a bowl a physical or chemical change?

Pounding a sheet of copper into a bowl is a physical change because the copper is still the same substance before and after the change. The change in shape does not alter the chemical composition of the copper.


Is a piece of copper cut in half a physical or chemical change?

Cutting a piece of copper in half is a physical change because it only alters the physical appearance of the copper without changing its chemical composition.


Is melting copper an example of chemical change?

It can be. Temperature increases usually induce physical changes in the broad sense. If the change in temperature merely induces a state change (for instance, the copper is melted - becoming a liquid) then it is purely a physical change. Presuming that heating will occur in the presence of air, it will also increase the rate of oxidation and, therefore, be indirectly inducing a chemical change.


Is stretching wire into copper a physical or chemical change?

Stretching wire into copper is a physical change because the composition of the material remains the same. The rearrangement of copper atoms in the wire does not alter the chemical identity of the substance.


Why did they stop making pennies out of copper?

The US made pennies of copper (95%) in 1941 and 1942, and partially from old shell casings in 1944 and 1945 (so the copper content may have been slightly lower in those years). Only in 1943 were pennies made of steel (with a zinc coating) in an effort to save copper for use in the war effort. Probably because they needed copper for the world war 2 effort. ww2 the need for wiring in the military Short answer: The US was using all the coper for munitions used for WWII. copper was required for the war effort i.e. to make electrical cables

Related Questions

When did the composition of the pennies change?

The composition of the United States penny changed from primarily copper to primarily zinc in 1982. Pennies made before 1982 are composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc, while those made after 1982 are 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.


What is US pennies made of?

US pennies are made of a copper-plated zinc composition. They are composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.


Why do pennies before 1982 have a higher density than 1982?

Pennies before 1982 were made of 95% copper, which has a higher density compared to the 97.5% zinc composition used in pennies starting in 1982. This change was made due to the increasing cost of copper.


What are pennies made of today?

Pennies in the United States are currently made of a copper-plated zinc composition, consisting of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. This composition has been in use since 1982 as a more cost-effective alternative to the previous solid copper pennies.


Why did the composition of the US penny change?

Because the rise in value of copper made pennies worth more than one cent.


What is the mass of post 1982 pennies?

Post-1982 pennies, which are primarily made of zinc with a thin copper coating, have a mass of 2.5 grams each. This change in composition was made to reduce costs, as copper prices had increased significantly. Before 1982, pennies were made mostly of copper and weighed 3.11 grams.


When did the us stop making full cooper pennies?

The United States stopped producing full copper pennies in 1982. Prior to that year, the pennies were made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Starting in 1982, the composition changed to 97.5% zinc and only 2.5% copper, resulting in a much lighter coin. This change was primarily due to rising copper prices.


Is a penny iron?

no a penny is copper... Actually not since 1982.... In the middle of that year the rising price of copper forced the Mint to change the coin's composition to zinc with a thin copper plating. The copper plating is only 2.5% of the coin's composition.


What pennies have more copper content?

Pennies minted before 1982 have a higher copper content, with 95% copper and 5% zinc. Pennies minted from 1982 to present have a copper-plated zinc core composition, with 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.


Why do older pennies weigh more than young ones?

Older pennies weigh more because they were made using a higher percentage of copper in their composition, whereas newer pennies have a lower percentage of copper and are mostly made of zinc. The difference in composition accounts for the difference in weight between old and new pennies.


Are pennies made of mostly copper or zinc?

pennies are made of mostly zinc but have some copper in themMoreThe composition of US cents was changed from bronze in mid-1982. The coins now have a zinc core plated with copper (rather than mixed together). Zinc makes up 97.5% of the coin by weight.


When did the us stop making copper pennies?

They stopped making copper pennies in 1982. There are some 1982 pennies that are 95% copper and some that are not. 1983 pennies that are 95% exist but are rare and are collectors items.While the above statement would seem to be correct, it is, however, not completely true. The U.S. has never stopped making copper pennies, or pennies with some copper content, except in 1943, when they were made of a low-grade carbon steel and coated with zinc (having a grey color); this change was due to the need for copper and brass during World War II. These 1943 wartime pennies are commonly referred to as "steel" pennies. They contain NO copper...More correctly, 1982 was the last mint year for 95% copper cents. Since mid-1982, the newest (current, as of 2012) composition for U.S. one-cent coins ("pennies") has an inner core alloy of 99.2% zinc with 0.8% copper, with the coin balance as an outer plating of pure copper, for a total coin composition of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. These current pennies are commonly called "zinc pennies", due to their heavy-majority zinc content, even though they do still contain some copper. The composition of U.S. pennies from mid-1864 to mid-1982 was an alloy of 95% copper with either 5% tin-and-zinc ("bronze" pennies) or 5% zinc ("brass" pennies). Before that, the composition was an alloy of 88% copper with 12% nickel from mid-1857 to mid-1864 (the only time any U.S. pennies ever contained nickel), and, initially, from 1793 to mid-1857, the first U.S. pennies were made of pure (100%) copper.Since the first U.S. one-cent coins in 1793, U.S. pennies have always contained at least some copper, except, again, in the singular case of the year 1943, the so-called "steel" pennies.Therefore, the most correct answer to the question is either:(1) the U.S. has never stopped making copper pennies, except in 1943; or(2) 1943 is the only year the U.S. stopped making copper pennies, or any pennies with NO copper in them.Hope this helps!