CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory Metals and Some Aspects of Corrosion

CHEM181: CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS - LABORATORY

Evran Jairyl T. Lora BSCE-1

Name Course & Year

M11-C1 Oct. 06, 2021

Section Date

Experiment No. 5
METALS AND SOME ASPECTS OF CORROSION

Objectives: 1. to list properties of metals belonging to different families

2. to compare the relative activities of metals
3. to prescribe ways to prevent corrosion

Apparatus: 4 22-mm test tubes 10 mL graduated cylinder

4 10-mm test tubes Bunsen burner
16 5-mm test tubes test tube holder
test tube rack watch glass

Materials: metals solutions

5 pcs. zinc 1M copper (II) sulfate
6 pcs. iron nail 1 M zinc chloride
5 pcs. magnesium ribbon 1 M ferric chloride
5 pcs. copper wire 1 M magnesium chloride
1 pc. bent nail 0.1 M potassium hexacyanoferrate
1 pc nail wrapped with copper phenolphthalein
1 pc nail wrapped with aluminum agar-agar solution

distilled water
Theory:
Metals are composed of atoms which easily lose electrons and form cations. They possess a lustrous
appearance, have high thermal and electrical conductivities and are malleable and ductile.
Corrosion is a general term applied to the process in which uncombined metals, when left exposed,
eventually combine with the elements surrounding them (e.g. oxygen from the air) to form
compounds. In this special case of iron, the corrosion process is called rusting because the
compound formed is a rust, Fe2O3∙H2O.

Procedure:
1. Put samples of the following metals on a watch glass: Mg, Zn, Cu, and Fe. Examine the samples
and record their physical state, appearance, and color. Write your observations on the table
provided.
2. Fill four 22mm test tubes with 3 mL water. Add two (2) drops of phenolphthalein to each test tube.
Drop a small piece of magnesium ribbon to the first test tube, zinc metal to the second, copper
wire to the third and iron nail to the fourth test tube. Heat if no reaction is observed. Take note of
any change in color. Write the balanced chemical equations.
Observations:
A. Magnesium ribbon: Slow reaction occurred, bubbles of gas are formed. The magnesium ribbon
burns in the steam to produce MgO.
Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) –> Mg(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
Solution turned pink
B. Zinc Metal: I can see a little part of the metal that turned pink.
Zn + 2H2O = Zn(OH)2 + H2
C. Copper Wire: No reaction at first so the solution was heated and there was still no reaction nor
color changes.
Cu + H2O = Cu + H2O
D. Iron Nail: No reaction at first so the solution was heated and Fe and H 2 gas is formed but there
were no changes in color.
Fe+H2O = FeO + H2

3. Fill four 5mm test tubes with 1.0 ml magnesium chloride solution. Drop a small piece of
magnesium ribbon to the first test tube, zinc metal to the second, copper to the third and iron nail
to the fourth test tube. Observe any changes on the test tubes from time to time for at least 5
minutes.
Observations: No metal reacted with the solution.
 4. Repeat procedure 4 using copper (II) sulfate
solution.
Observations:
Only copper didn’t react with the solution.
CHEM181: Chemistry for Engineers - Laboratory Metals and Some Aspects of Corrosion

5. Repeat procedure 4 using zinc chloride

solution. Observations: Magnesium is the only
one that reacted with the solution.

6. Repeat procedure 4 using ferric chloride.

Observations: Only zinc didn’t react with
the solution.

7. Fill four 10mm test tubes with1.0 mL freshly prepared agar-agar solution. Add 10 drops of 0.1 M
K3Fe(CN)6 and 5 drops of 1% phenolphthalein. Drop a piece of straight iron nail, bent nail, nail
wrapped with copper wire and a nail wrapped with aluminum to each test tube separately. Leave
for about 5 to 10 minutes. Take note of the changes in color on the head and tip of the straight
iron nail, iron nail covered with copper wire, and nail covered with aluminum and on the bent part
of the bent iron nail. Remove the nails from the test tubes and make observations. Remove the
copper and aluminum wrapped around the nail and make observations.
Observations: The iron nails exhibit blue color in the solution.
 Results and Observations:
1. Physical Attributes of the Metals
Physical state: solid, liquid, gas
Appearance: if regularly shaped, put what shape; otherwise, put “irregular shape”
Physical
Metals Appearance Color
State
Mg a shiny, silver or gray colored
Solid metal that is light in weight and Gray
strong.
Zn a slightly brittle metal at room
Solid temperature and has a blue- Silver
silvery appearance.
Cu Solid a reddish orange, soft metal that Reddish Brown
takes on a bright metallic luster.
Fe is shiny and metallic with a gray
Solid Brown
tinge.

2. Metals in Water
Write the products (except for letter d) and balance the chemical equation. Write NR on the
products side if there is no reaction.
a. Mg(s) + H2O(l) Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) –> Mg(OH)2(s) + H2(g) NR

b. Zn(s) + H2O(l)  Zn + 2H2O  Zn(OH)2 + H2 NR

c. Cu(s) + H2O(l) Cu + H2O  Cu + H2O NR

d. Fe(s) + H2O(g)  FeO(s) + H2(g)

Fe2+(aq) + OH-(aq) + e-  Fe(OH)3(aq)

Little reaction with water

Arrange the four metals in decreasing order of activity in water:

Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg
 3.  6. Summarize all observed results in the table below. If a reaction occurred between the metal
and the solution place a positive sign (+) in the appropriate box and give the experimental
observation. If no reaction occurred write a minus sign (-).

SOLUTIONS
METALS MgCl2 ZnCl2 CuSO4 FeCl3
Mg a. - e. + i. + m. +
Zn b. - f. - j. + n. -
Cu c. - g. - k. - o. +
Fe d. - h. - l. + p. +

Represent observed chemical changes with balanced chemical equations below.

a. magnesium + magnesium chloride= no reaction

Ans: Mg + MgCl2 = MgCl2 + Mg

b. zinc + magnesium chloride= no reaction

Ans: Zn + MgCl2 = no reaction

c. copper + magnesium chloride= no reaction

Ans: 2Cu+ 2MgCl2 = no reaction

d. iron + magnesium chloride= no reaction

Ans: 2Mg + 2FeCl2  no reaction

e. magnesium + zinc chloride= the solution becomes bluish and cloudy

Ans: 2Mg + ZnCl2 = 2MgCl + Zn

 f. zinc + zinc chloride= no reaction

Ans: Zn + ZnCl2 = no reaction

g. copper + zinc chloride= no reaction

Ans: 2Cu + ZnCl2 = no reaction

 h. iron + zinc chloride= no reaction

Ans: 2Fe + ZnCl2 = no reaction

i. magnesium + cupric sulfate= the solution becomes bluish

Ans: Mg + CuSO4  Cu + MgSO4

j. zinc + cupric sulfate= the solution becomes bluish

Ans: Zn + CuSO4 --> Cu + ZnSO4

k. copper + cupric sulfate= no reaction

Ans: Cu + CuSO4 --> no reaction

l. iron + cupric sulfate= the solution becomes bluish

Ans: Fe + CuSO4 --> Cu + FeSO4

m. magnesium + ferric chloride= the solution is urine-like color

Ans: Mg + 2FeCl3 = 2FeCl2 + Mg

n. zinc + ferric chloride= no reaction

Ans: 3Zn + 3FeCl3 = no reaction

o. copper + ferric chloride= the solution became yellow

Ans: 3Cu + FeCl3 = 3CuCl + Fe

p. iron + ferric chloride= the reaction is rusting

 Ans: 2FeCl3 + Fe → 3FeCl2

Arrange the four metals from the least reactive to the most reactive.

MgCl: Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn

ZnCl: Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn

CuSO4: Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn

FeCl: Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe

Procedure 7. agar-agar solution + K3Fe(CN)6 + phenolphthalein + (nail)

a. straight iron nail 

there are traces of blue colors surrounding the nail.

b. bent nail 

blue color is evident in the solution surrounding the nail.

c. nail wrapped with Cu wire 

corrosion of iron becomes faster

d. nail coated with mossy Zn 

zinc will react first protecting the iron

 Questions:
1. Explain the role of the agar-agar solution and phenolphthalein in procedure 7.

It is used to determine which of the samples tends to increase or decrease the corrosion.

2. Explain how corrosion occurs in metals.

Corrosion results from electrochemical reaction. General corrosion occurs when most or all
the atoms on the same metal surface are oxidized

3. Give 5 ways to prevent corrosion. Explain and give examples.

a. Design - Corrosion control begins at the engineering

stage. If the part is for use in an environment where it is
susceptible to corrosion, manufacturers should design the
part with that in mind.
 B. Protective Coating - Coatings can provide a layer of protection against corrosion by acting
as a physical barrier between the metal parts and oxidizing elements in the environment.
One common method is galvanization, in which manufacturers coat the part with a thin
layer of zinc.

C. Environmental Control - Many environmental factors impact the likelihood of corrosion. It

helps to keep metal parts in a clean, dry place when not in use. If you intend to store them
for a long time, consider using methods to control the level of sulfur, chloride, or oxygen in
the surrounding environment.

D. cathodic Protection - It is possible to prevent corrosion by applying an opposing electrical

current to the metal’s surface. One method of cathodic protection is an impressed current, using an
outside course of electrical current to overpower a corrosive current in the part.

E. Maintenance - Protective coatings, environmental control, and cathodic protection are effective
ways of preventing corrosion in metal parts. However, these measures are nothing without
ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Coatings can wear over time; even small nicks and scratches
can lead to corrosion. Be sure to keep parts clean and apply additional protection as necessary.