While metals generally conduct electricity thanks to their atomic makeup, this fact does not quite tell the whole story. The effectiveness of metals in conducting electricity actually varies greatly from metal to metal, and all metals offer some sort of resistance to electrical currents. To examine which metal conducts electricity the best, connect a circuit with a battery, a light bulb and two crocodile clips in series. Fill the gap between two crocodile clips with a sample of tin and examine how brightly the light glows. Do the same with aluminum and copper. As copper is often used in electrical wires, it would make sense to hypothesize that copper would cause the light to glow most brightly.
Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements in the earth's crust and notoriously resistant to corrosion. This has led to its frequent use in drink containers and food wrappings. A simple experiment can be used to examine the effect of heat on this corrosion resistance. Prepare samples of aluminum and heat solutions of sodium chloride, water and ferric chloride to 72 degrees Fahrenheit -- room temperature -- and 82, 92, 102, 112 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the aluminum in the solutions and observe the levels of corrosion. You would expect the levels to increase as the temperature increases, as the heat energy encourages reactions. Repeat the experiment with copper and tin to see if the same effect is observable with those metals.
Electroplating is the process in which ions from a solution are attracted to a metal object by the flow of current. These ions then form a coating on the metal object. This can be demonstrated by connecting two iron nails to a low-voltage power supply with crocodile clips and suspending them in a copper sulphate/sulphuric acid solution. Turn the power supply on and observe as the positive copper ions are attracted to the nail attached to the negative terminal. The nail at the negative terminal of the battery becomes coated in copper.
As green science continues to advance, scientists are constantly looking for ways to harness energy from the sun rather than relying on limited fossil fuels to derive energy. Consequently, materials that can effectively conduct heat for use elsewhere are highly sought-after. Test the efficacy of samples of tin, aluminum and copper to see which metal will collect the most heat and store it. Shine a heat lamp on each sample, measuring the temperature that each sample reaches after three minutes of exposure. Then remove the light source and continue taking the temperature of each sample at uniform intervals. The most suitable material will reach the highest temperature and retain this temperature for the longest time.