Why does vinegar cause rust?

Question

I added some vineger to a jam can and an iron nail and both started to rust.Explain?

Answer 1

Rusting is the oxidation of iron (a nail, or a can) in the presence of air (oxygen) and moisture (water).
Anything which increases the conductivity of the water, even a weak acid like vinegar, will speed up the rusting process. Of course the iron will react with the vinegar itself, but only very, very slowly.

Answer 2

That probably wasn't rust. Rust is the oxide of iron. An acid will react with the iron producing an iron salt. Since the acid in vinegar is acetic, the product would be an iron acetate. Because it is iron in the mix it would probably turn red and look like rust, but isn't the same thing.

Answer 3

Rust is just the oxidation of a metal (typically iron) by an oxidizing agent (typically water). Vinegar is in an aqueous solution so it contains lots of water. The active ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid, which has even more corrosive properties than water.

Answer 4

By it ,I assume you mean iron. Lemon juice, vinegar are acid. Pepsi also has carbonic acid in it from the CO2 bubbles. Salt is a salt, but in water tends to accelerate rusting. One thing they have in common if the salt is with water, is water. Rusting is the combination of iron with oxygen in the air. It is accelerated with water, and salt .

Answer 5

vinegar does not cause rust instead it removes rust

Answer 6

Apple Cider Vinegar Secrets : http://AppleCiderVinegar.siopu.com/?vjp

Answer 7

Vinegar forms metal acetate with tin and iron nails.
Vinegar is acidic in nature....

Answer 8

Simple... Vinegar is WATER BASED. Hello?