Why does copper jewellery turn your skin green?

By 2024-11-26T06:59:00

A person removing a copper ring to reveal a green stain on their skin

Source: © Andreea-Otilia Suiu/Royal Society of Chemistry

Discover the metal’s enduring appeal and engage students with an example of chemistry in action

Copper was one of the first elements that humans discovered – we’ve been using it in various ways for around 11,000 years. You can find it in electric circuits and wiring, in cookware and in computer chips. Copper jewellery is also popular, and well known for the phenomenon of turning the wearer’s skin green. But why does this happen? Use this article to engage learners with real-world context surrounding one of our most widely used metals and to provide them with a relatable example of chemistry in action when teaching transition metals, their properties and redox reactions .

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