A Study of Rusts in Solutions

Mrs. Gilmore's 4th period Science Class

Jefferson Elementary, Tracy, CA

April 30, 2005

Introduction

• Rust is in our everyday lives. It forms all around you and you don’t even know it.

• We wanted to learn more about rust because we saw our bikes, our parents’ cars and other metal objects rusted. We wanted to learn how rust forms, which solutions made the metals rust the most, and ways to prevent metals from rusting.

Introduction continued

• The properties of metals are malleable and ductile, conduct thermal energy and electric energy, and good conductors.

• Rust is formed when iron combines with oxygen to make iron oxides.

• When rusting happens it is a destructive example of an oxidation reaction.

• Water will cause iron and steel to rust. Like most chemical reactions heats speeds up the rust. When steel starts to rust it puffs because iron oxide is a larger molecule than iron [1].

Purpose and Hypothesis

• In this experiment, we incubated the metals in different solutions for two weeks. We measured the metals’ rust.

• Our hypothesis is if we test which metals will rust the fastest, then tin will rust faster because we think tin is thinner and it appears to rust faster in salt water.

Methods & Procedure

• Methods1.     Weigh un-rusted metals

and record weight2.     Place metals in cups3.     Fill cups with 150

milliliters of solution4.     Look at daily qualitative

characteristics for 14 days5.     When rusted, take metals

out of cups and clean off all the rust.

6. Weigh metals and record weight

Results• We saw that the solution

changed colors.

• The copper solution changed from clear to a blue/green color.

• The steel and iron solutions changed from clear to an orangish color.

DataGraph of Percentage change of rusted metals

4.166666667

16.66666667

5.952380952

17.50169492

-7.735849057

-7.735849057

8

0.692041522

2.441016334

21.42857143

25

1.41509434

2.452830189

-10.79545455

-4.761904762

81

Iron in Salt Water

Iron in Vinegar

Brass in Salt Water

Brass in Vinegar

Tin in Salt Water

Tin in Vinegar

Aluminum in Salt Water

Aluminum in Vinegar

Galvanized in Salt Water

Galvanized in Vinegar

Steel in Salt Water

Steel in Vinegar

Silver in Salt Water

Silver in Vinegar

Copper in Salt water

copper in vinegar

Discussion

-We found that iron rusted the most and our hypothesis was wrong.

-Our hypothesis was wrong, because iron reacted with oxygen the most compared to the other metals, therefore we see the most rust.

-Based on our experiment, we suggest that people should choose non-iron metals to buy as a tool if they want to keep it for a long time.

Conclusion

We found out that unless you spray a non-rusting solution on it, iron will rust most.

Steel also rusts, just not as much as iron.

Copper, galvanized nails, silver, aluminum, brass, and tin did not rust.

Conclusion continued

• Always always always write EVERYTHING down even if you think it’s not important. It might come in handy at the end, when you don’t have all the data you need to analyze your ending. We learned that from experience!

Acknowledgements

• Mrs. Gilmore, for choosing 4th period to do this experiment, TEAM Science, for the financial support, and Dr. Jim Bridges, for letting us borrow the closet in the cafeteria, to stink it up with our samples.

Acknowledgements continued

Sara Zanolli for taking pictures. Thomas Sievers for working so hard on the data. Also a special thanks to, the scientist in charge of “A Study of Rust in Solutions,” Mr. Son Hoang.

Thank you!