Why is the Statue Green? - New York, NY
Posted by: 
bluesnote
N 40° 41.343 W 074° 02.733
18T E 580646 N 4504678
One of many plaques around Liberty Island.
Waymark Code: WMRXF1
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 08/17/2016
Views: 4
The plaque says, "The answer is in the air.
The Statue's skin in made of copper and when copper is exposed to oxygen in the air, it undergoes a chemical reaction called oxidation.
The reaction causes a fine crust or film to develop that is usually green in color. This layer protects the original metal underneath. In copper and bronze, this natural protective process is called patination. It took place nearly thirty years for the Statue to turn from her original copper color to the green you see today.
The patination process can also be observed on buildings where copper or bronze are used for roofing and ornamentation such as the ferry dock on Liberty Island and on the roof and domes of the Immigration Station at Ellis Island."
Group that erected the marker: NPS
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Liberty Island, NY, NY
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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