Can any one tell me why Steel Wool burns?

Question

I'm doing a question of the week on this and I can't find an answer to this question any where! I would be forever greatfull if someone could answer this question!

Answer 1

You can burn steel wool by applying a flame, such as from a lighter, or a flame thrower.

You should probably try this outside. Especially if you're using a flame thrower.

Answer 2

burning is nothing more than rapid oxidation. Rust oxidizes, and it will burn where there is enough heat even applied to a steel hulled ship. Aluminum will burn, magnesium will burn and other metals will burn.

In situations where there is enough room to oxidize rapidly, like steel wool, or even the filings that come out when they grind your brake rotors on your car, the steel is real vulnerable and it will set on fire. If you don't believe that, go to a brake repair store and get some of their iron filings and throw the in front of an open flame.

I don't think that the Navies that had ships built in Mississippi, and probably other places, that used aluminum for the superstructure (that part of a ship that is above the main deck) paid much attention to the fact that it c ould burn, but in the Falkland Islands war between GB and the Argentine Govts, French made Exocet missiles caused the superstructures on several ships to burn up.

The main problem is that when aluminum and magnesium get hot enough to burn, there is not much you can do to stop the fire - magnesium in particular.

Will Aluminum ladders burn. Most certainly and when I was in the paint business just after AL ladders hit the market, it was common for people to remove paint on blistering houses with a propane torch and a putty knife. I have seen many aluminum ladders that people brought back to my store that had caught on first. Aluminum is too soft to make a ladder out of, so they created an alloy out of AL and MG to strengthen. Now they will burn quicker.

Aluminum blocks in older VW beetles are made of Magnal and when one of those catches on fire, the fire departments, up until the last 15 years or so, would just let them burn. Pouring water on them only makes things worse.

Answer 3

Steel wool is very fine wire fibers. Anything will burn if you reduce it's bulk to a fine enough state. Flour and cornstarch are two very explosive substances when made into a dust in the air.