2007-11-05 12:40:35 · 9 answers · asked by Trisha P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
This is for a 9 year olds science project.
2007-11-05 13:02:55 · update #1
Don't you remember anything at Chemistry?
2007-11-05 12:43:09 · answer #1 · answered by poppy vox 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree, the water is H20, which provides oxygen ions to reacts with the iron in the nails to form iron oxide ("Rust"). Pure oxygen (e.g part of the air around us) in itself is a stable molecule and wouldn't react with iron, at least quickly enough to notice. Iron reacts with the moisture in the air, not the oxygen itself.
The sugar itself wouldn't react, but it is conceivable it could feed bacteria which leave acids... the same thing that rots teeth. That could promote corrosion if not oxidation, but from the sound of it it's a trick question!
2007-11-05 21:20:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the sugar makes more oxygen come and since that causes rust, there you go lol.
2007-11-05 20:48:38 · answer #3 · answered by girl.with.a.plan. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen
2007-11-05 20:48:25 · answer #4 · answered by Ring of Uranus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh. haha.
im not sure if sugar is a catalyst in the process. thou i recalled if it's salt water, it would make it faster. but for sugar, if it's not a catalyst, then only the h20 in the water that got it rusty. other explanation, refe the dudes up there, lazy to type further.*grins*
2007-11-06 01:24:52 · answer #5 · answered by Aaron A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi
This is an interesting question.
I believe there are traces of IRON in sugar because of the way it is prepared.
Hence the rusty nails.
Hope I am right.
Takecare.
2007-11-05 21:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by Life Coach 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well,
sugar is made up of C6H12O6 (which is its molecular formula) and nail is consist of iron particles , when they combined iron nail get oxidized with o2 and that's why it gets rust .
2007-11-07 04:34:50 · answer #7 · answered by RAJNEESH 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ANY water will rust nails.
2007-11-05 20:48:26 · answer #8 · answered by curtisports2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
2Fe + 3H2O+C6H12O6 = Fe2O3 + 3H2+C6H12O6
The sugar really doesn't matter as it will just end up as sugar on the other side of the eq anyway.
2007-11-05 20:56:41 · answer #9 · answered by HT-5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋