The amount of copper in the Statue of Liberty could make 30 million pennies! : And 101 Other Questions About New York City [Library, The Staff of the New-York Historical Society, Nazionale, Nina, Ashton, Jean, Burns, Ric] on Amazon.com. And why are people saying it was a joke? Be sure, I'll use it in my English classes. Weather also causes wear and tear on the Statue of Liberty! In When Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green, the staff of the New-York Historical Society Library answer more than a hundred of the most popular and compelling queries. Luckily, no. In fact, it rusted enough for it to turn green. Her color change is thanks to about 30 years’ worth of chemistry in the air of New York City harbor. Figures typically put the oxidation rate for copper 100+ years ago at 5-8 years. It came in 350 pieces packed into 214 crates. :), Hey there Henry, we're so glad that you have been WONDERing about the Statue of Liberty with us today! The Statue of Liberty is coated with a thin layer of copper, which turns a blue-green with age due to chemical reactions between metal and water. But when did the copper Lady Liberty get her green patina? The Statue of Liberty is green in color because a process called oxidation has happened. Happy WONDERing! couldn't they have simply used some type of "clear coat" like lacquer or similar to protect it, or periodically polished it to keep it from turning green? Yes, the rumors you've heard are true—Lady Liberty, that jolly green giant standing for all things American, was not always so bright and colorful.In fact, coated in slightly less than one-tenth of an inch of copper (about the thickness of two pennies), the monument to all things hopeful was originally a dull brownish-red when it was unveiled in 1886. ANSWER 0 grrrrrr ANSWERS: 4. Thanks for sharing! :), Hi, ao! (via ACS Reactions) The Statue of Liberty is an iconic blue-green symbol of freedom. The exterior of the statue is made of copper which is a pretty reactive metal.The surface of the copper pretty quickly reacts with oxygen in the air to form various compounds that give the statue its green color. That's a great question, cool kid. He later used the same design on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! When this was mixed with copper oxides on the statue, it began to turn its distinctive green color. The Statue of Liberty is covered in a thin layer of copper. :), Hi, AJ! I think tomorrow's wonder is that How can a deep breath calm you down when you get angry? Thanks for stopping by today...have fun exploring Wonderopolis! The pennies were made of copper; The vinegar contained acid; When the vinegar and the copper meet, their chemical components interact with the oxygen in the air to create a blue material called malachite. Why … It protects the metal under and is seen as pretty. In this process copper reacts with oxygen in the air and forms a pinkish oxide compound or we can say cuprites which oxidizes more and form a blackish oxide compound called tenorite or sometimes it forms copper sulphide, a blackish compound. Did you know the Statue of Liberty wasn't always green? Thanks for visiting! You're choosing the questions in a "catching way"...Thanks for your marvelous job. Logic says they would have turned green, so does that mean the French cleaned off the patina before shipping it to us? Do you remember where you found this out? The Statue of Liberty’s unusual color is so well known that people often refer to that blue-green hue as simply Liberty Green.Yet the world’s most famous statue did not always look that way and over the course of her first thirty years would have changed color several times. I'm staying until Monday. Museum & Library Map . But before the age of color photography its hard to be exact about colors. The Statue of Liberty is green/verdigris because it's original copper skin has undergone a process known as patination, due to chemical reactions between metal and water. In this process copper reacts with oxygen in the air and forms a pinkish oxide compound or we can say cuprites which oxidizes more and form a blackish oxide compound called tenorite or sometimes it forms copper sulphide, a blackish compound. We love to meet new Wonder Friends and look forward to hearing how you engage your students with Wonder! French copper workers would have known about the oxidization of copper from roofs, pigments, and other applications. Entries feature hard-to-find data and unforgettable profiles, sharing snapshots of New York’s secret history. The Statue of Liberty has that lovely green patina because it’s made of copper. In fact, copper is the same material used to make pennies. Thanks for WONDERing with us! What did you learn about the Statue of Liberty from this Wonder? Over the next three decades, the statue slowly began to change color. Thanks for WONDERing with us! A combination of oxygen, rain, … The Statue of Liberty was erected in 1886. She is made of copper that used to be a dull brown color. The Statue of Liberty is an iconic blue-green symbol of freedom. You're in luck because we have that exact Wonder! The pedestal stands 154 feet tall, making the top of the torch 305 feet above ground level. iv'e been there and how long did take to build? It was brown because of course it was made of copper and copper turns green only gradually. I am a kindergarten teacher, and I can't wait to explore your website with my five year olds! I've heard the outer layers of the statue were made of copper, which, I would assume, always turns green … Although some people were worried that the changing color of the statue meant it was decaying, the patina actually protects the copper underneath from further corrosion. If you were asked to describe it , one of the first things you'd likely mention When this was mixed with copper oxides on the statue, it began to turn its distinctive green color. Some say that the Statue of Liberty is green in color because of the sulfuric acid (debatable) in the rain that drenches the Great Lady on occasion. This oxidation created a layer of p… The Statue of Liberty is coated with a thin layer of copper, which turns a blue-green with age due to chemical reactions between metal and water. The exterior of the statue is made of copper which is a pretty reactive metal. Thank you so much for this comment! We'll do our best to answer your question...that's what Wonder Friends are for! But did you know she wasn’t always that color? The statue of liberty was not a gift it was meant for a joke. It protects the metal under and is seen as pretty. It was 1st build for our independence , It was 2ndly built for us to be reminded that all of us are free , like for an example they had slaves back then but now they don't have any more slaves we are all free . This is similar to why the Statue of Liberty (which is covered with a layer of copper) has turned greenish-blue. why did they choose the statue of liberty to be female? It also allowed staircases to be built on the inside of the statue. :). You can check back every day for a new Wonder of the Day®! A patina is a thin layer that has formed on the surface of your copper penny from “weathering” and oxidization from the chemical process we just put the penny through. The statue took about 20 years to turn green from the oxidization. By 1910, it was half brown and half green. No, there isn't a tennis court in the Statue of Liberty...but you can read more about tennis in our Wonder: Does Love Conquer All in Tennis? Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is brought to you by the letters A, B, and O! We think you're on the right track-- the oxygen atoms and the water reacted with the copper, creating a process called oxidation, which turned the statue the green color we now recognize! We're glad you enjoyed this Wonder! Well It was invented for many reasons . Did the creators of the Statue of Liberty know that it would eventually turn green? Everyone says the statue designer intended for it to patina eventually. If that timeline is right, it does seem like it might have already started to change color. Grab some old pennies and a few common kitchen ingredients and have some. Copper atoms from the statue mix with the carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,which creates hydroxycarbonate...oxidized copper which turns green. :), Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder, preston! Was it magic? If left exposed to the air again, it will quickly react to form the dull greenish copper oxide layer. 2014–2020 © National Center for Families Learning, http://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-the-statue-of-liberty-green, © National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Will we see a purple Statue of Liberty? Nope! However, the green color is caused by a natural weathering process — called oxidation — which takes place when air and water react with the copper plates. Something strikes me as odd. But why did the pennies turn green? We know it was green by 1920. There are so many interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty, aren't there? It would have taken closer to 10 years to develop the green patina that Lady Liberty has today. The inner framework was engineered and designed by Gustave Eiffel. This process is known as patination and occurs with most copper when it's placed outside. Over the next 30 years, though, it slowly turned to the green color you see today. However, the statue was built in pieces in France. It took 9 years to build the statue in France, and then ship to the US. :), Hi, Atalia! Ready to get up close and personal with Lady Liberty? The statue of liberty is green because of the oxygen atoms in the air. You can do that anytime by clicking on the "nominate a wonder" link at the top of each page! The government had to reserve a whole energy plant just to power the statue! Hi, Josie! By Atalia. Accounts say it was a dull copper color when it arrived in the US. You can also search all 250+ of our past Wonders by clicking on the category links on the right side of each interior page of Wonderopolis.org or by using the search bar at the top of the page for a specific topic. ;) Right now I'm in Clarkston, Michigan. Through one hundred years of biting sea winds, driving rains and beating sun, the copper skin of the Statue of Liberty not only has grown more beautiful but also has remained virtually intact. Visitors can climb to an observation deck inside the crown. But something doesn't add up. Copper, bronze, brass, and other metal used in interior design and architecture may not look the same color 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years from now as they do today. :-), actualy the statue of liberty is green because of the salt water in the air, Hi, mm! This explains why the Statue of Liberty is green! Jun 30, The Statue of Liberty wasn't always blue-green. Hello, Benjamin! My teacher just started using it in class for many things and everyone fell in love with the creativity!!! There may be salt water in the air because the Statue of Liberty is surrounded by the New York Harbor, which is salt water. :), Hey Madi! The photo to the right shows a replica of the statue and what the Statue of Libertys original color would look li… We appreciate your comment! Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about this iconic lady. While we can't take credit for making the videos, we have tried to gather some great ones in one, convenient location for you. The statue was assembled on a pedestal base built by the United States. Thanks for your patience. Over time, the weathering of the copper created a thin layer of copper carbonate called a patina. We want to do some more research on this now! I'm pretty sure your kids will love this website. Sorry it's late. That's right! The outer layer of the statue is copper that's only 3/32 of an inch thick — the thickness of two pennies put together. :( :( :( :( :( Can you have your wonder friends pray so it won't storm for the next two days? We know it was green by 1920. However, because some rain has acid from pollution in it, the rain speeds up the reaction (just as the vinegar caused the reaction with the penny). When did the Statue of Liberty turn green? When Did the Statue of Liberty Begin to Turn Green, and How Long Did it Take? The Statue of Liberty turned green due to a natural weathering process called oxidation. Pretty cool, huh? The skin of the statue is copper. the Wonder of the Day® via email or SMS. The Statue of Liberty's torch is a symbol of enlightenment. I think it's green because of the air around it and it slowly turned green but others say the fog changed its color. It came in 350 pieces packed into 214 crates. I think that the statue of Liberty is a sign of independence and freedom. To see some rare photos of the inside and outside of the Statue of Liberty, just jump online and head over to National Geographic's, Up for a challenge? The Statue of Liberty is made of 3/32-inch thick sheets of copper, the size of 2 US pennies stacked together. Thanks, Maddbear4! When France gifted Lady Liberty to the U.S., she was a 305-foot statue with reddish-brown copper skin. Despite how thin it is, the copper is strong. Her color change is thanks to about 30 years’ worth of chemistry in the air of New York City harbor. :), Hi TJ, thanks for sharing your comment. Did you know the Statue of Liberty wasn't always green? The Statue of Liberty isn't made out of a green metal; its outermost layer is mostly copper — and copper doesn't come out of the mill looking green. 1 decade ago. Glenn Blaylock. Favourite answer. I really enjoyed reading about the Statue of Liberty, but I have a question. The entire appeal of copper is the green patina that forms on it - mostly copper carbonate. : And 101 Other Questions About New York City The 151-foot tall statue has become a worldwide symbol of freedom and democracy. It represents that "Liberty Enlightens the World" -- it's a symbol of our freedom! Her color change is thanks to about 30 years’ worth of chemistry in the air of New York City harbor. But maybe France did give a good cleaning first? That's some pretty cool info, Kinnadee! We're so glad you're WONDERing with us! Keep up the good work, Wonder Friend! Let’s think about the different types of material you worked with and their properties. I have a question. Help spread the wonder of families learning together. The true color of the Statue of Liberty before patination was a shiny reddish brown color. When Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green? Chemical reactions produce new substances. Just head on over to the National Park Service site to take a, The engineering that went into the Statue of Liberty is very impressive. We would love to hear about which Wonders are your favorites! The WONDERS never cease! :), That's right, ethan! : :-), Hi, Susan! more questions/facts about new york When Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green? Thanks so much for your great comment! Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. By the early 1920s, the entire monument turned green. Think of the Statue of Liberty for a moment. 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