Experiments to investigate rusting Instruction Sheet

The following questions need an answer. You are to set up some experiments to help you
answer them

1. What is needed for rusting to occur?

2. How can rusting be prevented or slowed?
3. Does rusting use up any part of the air? Which part?
4. What is rust?

Experiment set 1 What is needed for rusting?

In your group set up the following test tubes and number them accordingly. The nails
should be half immersed in any liquids:

1. Control - place a nail in a test tube.

2. Nail exposed to dry air only - place a spatula of calcium chloride (absorbs
moisture from the air) into a test tube followed by a piece of cotton wool, then
a nail and seal with a rubber bung.
3. Nail exposed to air and salt water - add a few cm3 of saline solution to a test
tube then add a nail.
4. Nail exposed to water only – cover a nail with distilled water which has been
freshly boiled to drive out all the air. Seal by putting a layer of oil on top of the
water.
5. Nail exposed to air and water - add a nail to some distilled water in a test
tube.

Experiment set 2 How can rusting be prevented or slowed?

Set up the following test tubes and number them accordingly. The nails should be
half immersed in water so that they are exposed to air and water:

6. Nail coated with paint

7. Nail coated with grease/Vaseline
8. Nail in contact with copper – tightly wrap a thin strip of copper round a nail
9. Galvanised nail – one totally coated with zinc
 Observations

Tube Conditions Degree of rusting after 7 days

1 IRON NAIL + LABORATORY AIR
N.B This is the control
2 IRON NAIL + AIR – moisture
(Calcium chloride added)
3 IRON NAIL + AIR + SALT WATER

4 IRON NAIL + WATER

(totally immersed and oil to seal from the air)
5 IRON NAIL + AIR + WATER

6 PAINTED NAIL + AIR+ WATER

7 IRON NAIL IN VASELINE+ AIR+ WATER

8 NAIL IN CONTACT WITH COPPER

9 GALVANISED IRON NAIL + AIR+ WATER

(Galvanised in a Zinc Coating)

Conclusions

1) Which nail showed the greatest degree of rusting?

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2) Which nail showed the lowest degree of rusting?
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3) Use the results from your observations of tubes 1-5 to answer the first question
‘What is needed for rusting?’

4) Based on your results what was the most effective method for preventing rusting?

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