My science fair project is "what is the effect of different contaminants on the rate of rusting" in this expiriment, i used 4 different liquids, placed a small iron nail in each one, and determined which nail rusted the fastest and WHY. well i got my results. salt water was the fastest [WHY?] vinegar turned the nail black [WHYYY?] and lemon juice and orange juice didnt really have an effect of rust on the nails. [why???] i want to know why saltwater rusts fastest, why vinegar does what it did, and why orange juice and lemon juice did what it did. my science fair project is due on monday. PLEASE HELP ): ByTheWay: the nails were in the liquids for a period of 3 weeks.
HELP ME PLEASEE ! <3
2007-01-25 11:13:11 · 4 answers · asked by priyankaaaaa 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Nails have a smooth close molecular structure and an inactive surface. Acid activates the surfaces. In chemistry are acids are 'reducing agents' What happens is the basic iron protective smooth coating is etched by that reduction process, that causes a rough mountainous and hilly surface due to high exposure of molecular structure. (huge increase in area exposed) Immediately, that exposed molecular surface of high hills and valleys is exposed to the oxygen in the atmosphere and BOOM it rusts or oxidizes to iron oxide, or common rust.
Remember, smooth as bought in store nails have an 'oil' coating to prevent rusting in addition to that smooth inactive surface.
2007-01-25 11:26:58 · answer #1 · answered by James M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.Orange Juice 2. Lemon Juice 3. Apple Juice
2016-05-23 23:58:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it would require knowledge of oxydation to explain, sorry I really don't have time, search on wikipedia to understand the concept
But, I can tell you this
salt water is composed of sodium chloride ions, they dissolve, or seperate, actually the chloride ions physcially seperate from the sodium, (since water is polar)
and pure sodium is very reactive and will react with metal to create rust
viniger is a strong base, also very reactive to the metal, it all has to do with oxydation
lemon juice and orange juice contain weak acids, citric acid to be more specific. However, citric acid should have reacted with the metal..... maybe you did something wrong... Therotically, the lemmon juice should have really rusted the nails...
2007-01-25 11:28:14 · answer #3 · answered by applejacks 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salt dissolved in water is meant for corroding metal
2013-09-24 11:58:43 · answer #4 · answered by Shilpi 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋