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Q&As since 1989


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Science Fair Project: Rust rate

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I am doing my social relevant task for chemistry that I need to know what is the harmful effect of rusting.

Monica C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
2003

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Monica, please visit a library and ask the librarian to help you find an age-appropriate book about corrosion, and it will give you hundreds of examples. But more simply, what good is a bicycle, a car, an umbrella, a bridge, or a metal roof that has rusted away?

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

Why do nails rust quicker in seawater than in tap water? Please respond ASAP because this info is for a school project. Thanx Gaz...

Gareth L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Dudley, West Midlands, England
2003

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Hi, Gareth. In your experiment how much quicker did they corrode in salt water? Because they did not corrode quicker in my experiment.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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I am in 8th grade and doing a science project on "Do different liquids affect the rusting time of nails?"
And was having some trouble finding research on the subject, PLEASE HELP!

John V [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Dayton, Ohio
2003

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May , 2008

Hi, John. As I've said several times on this page and dozens of times in our FAQS, you must do the experiments before attempting to find what answers you're "supposed" to get or you are learning "junk science".

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

How do germs or dirt, affect the rate of rust formation? Are there any articles or books about this? Thanks! I need to write a report on the effect of germs on rust formation on nails!

Barb J [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
school - Erie, Pennsylvania
2003

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Hi, Barb. That's what librarians are for. I'm not being trite or facetious! Rather, there is little point in anyone recommending a book you can't easily get from the library. And we don't know your age, your grade, your chemistry experience, your reading comprehension level, etc. But the librarian will very quickly find what you need.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

I am doing a project for school and am having trouble find hypothesis about the temperatures that rust will form if you can give me any help it would be appreciated.

Michael T [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Chicago, Illinois
2003

Michael, I don't think you yet understand the meaning of 'hypothesis': you don't find one, you make one up. Basically it is a claim, based on a guess, that you will attempt to prove or disprove.

Here's a hypothesis: Rust is a biological activity that will never happen unless the water temperature is above 98.6 °F. You should have no trouble proving or disproving that hypothesis :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May , 2008

How do you measure the rate of corrosion on iron nails. I am doing a science project on how will antibacterial vs. regular soap affects the rate of corrosion on iron nails. Please help me!

Joseph [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Plano, Texas
2003

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May , 2008

Hi, Joseph. It depends on what grade you are in. If you are in grammar school, rub the rust off onto a coffee filter and pour the solution through the coffee filter. Then present the coffee filter as a semi-quantitative measure of the amount of rust.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

I am doing an experiment about what metals rust the fastest- common iron, steel, aluminum, or copper steel. I am having trouble trying to find research on this topic, and also the answer for my hypothesis! PLEASE help me!

Katie A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Newport, Rhode Island
2003

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We can't tell you if your hypothesis is true or false, Katie, until you tell us what your hypothesis is, and what you have observed so far.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

I'm in middle school, and I'm doing a science project. My problem is: "Which will rust faster? Copper, silver, or iron?" I need as much information as I can about how different types of metal rusts, why it rusts, what causes items to rust...anything about metal rusting. I've been trying to get websites/books about that subject, but I can't seem to find any. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Kim N [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Student - Santa Barbara, California
2003

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2003

Rust is iron oxide. Only things made of iron can ever rust :-)

As mentioned earlier on this page, your librarian is the person to ask about appropriate books.. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Hi, I'm a 9th grader and we were asked to do a science fair project. I chose to find out which liquids rusted metal the fastest and I can't find any site that can help me get any information on my topic. Can you please help?

Kirstin [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Harpswell, Maine
2003

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Kirstin, as we've said, the approach you are planning -- wanting to know the answer before you've done the experiment -- will lead to "junk science". Pleas pick some common household liquids, like water, vinegar [in bulk on eBay or Amazon], juices and oils, and do the experiment first. Report back with your results and then we'll be happy to help you explain them and get an "A". But the "A" will be because you've done science, not phonied things up to get a preferred answer :-)

Good luck,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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Hi I'm Jill and I'm doing my EUT for gr 9 gifted science. It's a lab to ascertain how different variables affect the rusting rate of a nail. The nail will be purchased from any normal hardware store, and since it will have preservatives to PREVENT the nail from rusting, those preservatives will be taken off to the best of our ability. What I am wondering is if you could help me by suggesting a few variables that I could use. I have to know what chemicals are in the substance, but I can use anything. My teacher even said we could use different types of pop, but I want to use something a little more sophisticated than that.

Thanks so much,

Jillian S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2003

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2003

Good thinking, Jillian, because no one will learn much from using different brands of pop; their ingredients are secret, so you don't know what is in them, and the manufacturer could change them at any time.

I would suggest trying bleach [adv: bleach/sodium hypochlorite in bulk on eBay or Amazon] (don't mix it with anything except water, that would be dangerous!) as one solution, vinegar, vinegar with salt, water with salt, water with sugar, cooking oil, cooking oil with salt. As you see, there are many possibilities with just a few ingredients.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

I am doing a Science Fair project for my science class, and my topic is: "The Effect salt and other contaminants have on the rate of rusting". I am not sure where to search for research. I was wondering if you could give me a list of sources I would look for research. Moreover, I would like to know the what type of metals I would use for my topic. And I would also like to know where I could go to get some research information on this experiment.

Brittney B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - mechanicsville, Virginia
2004

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2004

Greetings and Salutations!

I have to write a Background Essay for my Science Fair Project. My project is: What liquid will cause rust on the steel wool [on eBay or Amazon] the fastest?, the only problem is that with the Background Essay I have to research the results of someone else's project (who has done the same thing). I have searched the web, the library, and the internet and have found NOTHING! So if there is anyone out there who has done a similar project PLEASE contact me! (I do not copy or plagiarize)

Thanks!

Amy L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Student - Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada

Hi,

I am in grade 7 in the French immersion program and am currently doing a French science project on rust with zinc, stainless steel, brass, steel and unknown metal washers. One side of every washer has been scratched off, one washer is in vinegar well the other one is in tap water. So far only the zinc washer in the vinegar is really rusting well the other ones are just corroding. I am having trouble finding information on rust and what all the metals listed up top are made up of. If you could help me I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Aidan L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
'student' - Surrey, B.C., Canada
2004

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I doing a project and It's due....I forgot I wasn't really listening to what she said after she said "you guys have a project....." And my question is what rust fastest nails,paper clips or pennies? and could you tell me what I should drown each of them in? That would be a lot of help. And I need background information for each and everyone of them. So PLEASE be specific.

Thanks,

Aaliyah [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2004

Hi,

I am doing a science fair project on Rust on different types of metals. The metals that I am using is copper, aluminum, black steel and stainless steel. Each of these metals are presently in separate containers of water, water and lemon juice (50/50), water and peroxide (50/50), and salt water (tablespoon salt/1 cup water). I would like to know why the above metals rust differently eg: aluminum and water does not have the same result as aluminum and peroxide, black steel and water not the same as black steel and peroxide, etc.... Can you please explain to me why the different reactions.......

Thank you,

Jeremy [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Grade 3 student - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2004

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I am in 7th grade and my science project is on the corrosion rates of metal. Well, basically I just want to find out which metal will corrode the most by a 24-hour-period. The metals I will be using are iron, copper, aluminum, steel, and brass. PROBLEM: I am a huge procrastinator and now I have only less than three weeks to get ten trials in. so, I need to know-

where can I get five types of metal that are in the same mass and/or weight? Places like Lowes and Home Depot only sell nails and screws that are corrosion resistant, and I need a way to corrode metals as fast as possible.

Also, what kind of acid should I use? I was deciding on white vinegar, which is not too dangerous and corrosive, but I think white vinegar is too weak. I want to use sulfuric acid, but then sulfuric acid is too dangerous.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME! This is a very urgent emergency! Anyone with an idea to my questions please answer ASAP.

Danielle H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Richmond, Virginia
2006

I'm a bit confused. My nail turns black and corrodes (the surface peeled off) in vinegar, while it rusts in salt water. Which substance makes iron rust the most? Is the phenomena in vinegar considered rusting?

Karen W.
student - Jakarta, Indonesia
August 28, 2008

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September 3, 2008

Hi, Karen. That's a good question you are asking yourself there! Sometimes words have a definite formal meaning, while also having a broader colloquial use -- and it can cause a lot of confusion.

Formally, rust is one very specific corrosion product of iron, but informally it is often used to describe most any kind of metallic corrosion. You can turn your project into a study of the exact formal meaning of rust, and an analysis of exactly how much of that particular compound is generated, but that would probably be meaningless and boring. Or your report can say that the real issue here is corrosion in general, and you are using the word "rust" in a loose informal way to describe any metallic corrosion.

Vinegar is a mild acid and it dissolves (corrodes) metal without producing much rust (as long as the nail stays immersed) because it dissolves rust even more readily than it dissolves metal. The real way to do this project, although your science lab may not be sufficiently equipped, is to weigh the nails before immersion, blast or tumble off any corrosion products (maybe in a pebble polisher) after the immersion period, and weigh the nails again. You judge the amount of corrosion by the weight of metal that has been lost. Good luck!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Hi, I am doing a project about which nail rust the fastest in what liquid. I put a nail each in salt, vinegar, and tap water, but I don't know which one will rust the fastest. Can you please help me? thanks

Samantha K [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Los Angeles, California
September 28, 2008

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September 8, 2008

Hi, Samantha. The important thing here is learning how to do a science experiment; the trivial thing here is learning which liquid rusts nails fastest. Please don't sacrifice the crucial learning experience of doing science right to try to answer the trivial question! You've put the nails in the liquids, and now you look at them and determine which is rusting fastest, and pay no attention to which one is "supposed to" rust fastest.

Good luck,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Hi, my name's CJ :) I'm in year 10 and have a student research project for science, and chose the topic: rusting. I would like to know which screws (plain steel, zinc plated or brass plated) would rust the most over a two week period...I am aware that steel would probably rust first, but I'm not sure with the zinc and brass plated screws. Can I please have some help?

Jaime C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Student - Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
October 13, 2008

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October 14, 2008

Hi, Jaime. The purpose of this project is to teach you how to do an experiment to prove or disprove a hypothesis. The single most important lesson you are supposed to learn is to do the experiment and record your actual results and let the chips fall where they may, and not to practice "junk science" (i.e., fool with the experiment to try to make it produce the result you want). The worst disservice we could possibly do for your education would be to tell you what result you are "supposed" to get. Whatever answer your test produces is the right answer. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

I am a Grade 9 student from Bradford, Ontario, Canada and I have a question so as to back up my data that I have gained in an individual lab. What is it exactly in vaseline/petroleum jelly that acts as an immunity against rust?

Danika G [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - Bradford, Ontario, Canada
October 19, 2008

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"Immunity" might be an overly strong word, Danika, but vaseline is a grease that deters rusting by keeping water and oxygen from reaching the surface. If oxygen can't get to the iron, it can't react with it to form iron oxides (rust). For some backup data and history, look up Cosmoline. It's not exactly the same thing as vaseline, but it was widely used in the army to keep guns from rusting and jamming.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 23, 2008

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January 2, 2009

I am in the fifth grade and I am doing an experiment on which liquid will cause the most rust after 1 and 2 weeks in 5 different liquids. Tee liquids I will be using are: water, salt water, orange juice, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide 3%) [affil links]. I will be using iron nails and weigh the nails using an electronic balance at school. My question is in my experiment design I planned on checking the nails after 2 weeks, is that enough time to see a substantial amount of rust. The fair is in March so I have time. Also, should the nails be totally immersed in the liquid. Will placing a top on the container have an effect? Does it matter if I use plastic or glass containers?

Thanks for your help,

Meagan C [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
student - troy, New York

Hi, Megan. Yes, 2 weeks should be enough. There is nothing wrong with a test where nails are partially immersed, but that's a somewhat different test, so I don't think you should do that. Placing a cover on the container is a very good idea as both vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are volatile (the active ingredient eventually gasses off).

It's unlikely that these chemicals will affect the plastics you are most likely to use (like Tupperware), but if possible I would suggest glass containers to be on the safe side.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 2, 2009

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March 31, 2009

For my science fair project, I'm trying to determine which liquid will rust a nail the fastest. My liquid choices are Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Lemon Juice and water. I'm completely submersing the nail in the liquid in a sealed glass container. My problem is determining how much the nail has rusted.

I know how much each nail weighs before I submerse it in the liquid. Is the best method to remove the nail at the end of the experiment and record the weight of the nail? The difference would be how much of the nail is gone (i.e. rusted).

Is there any reasonable way to collect the actual rust from the liquids? The coffee filter method should work for water but I'm concerned it may not work for Pepsi or lemon juice.

Steve B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Seaford, Delaware

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April 1, 2009

Hi, Steve. I see no problem filtering Pepsi. And if the lemon juice if filtered before the nails are put in it, so it has no pulp, I see no problem filtering it either.

But, yes, if your school has an analytical balance, weighing before and after is best. If the school doesn't have one, but your interest is strong, you could buy a highly accurate electronic pocket scale pretty inexpensively.

Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

I'm using potassium hexacyanoferrate III solution to carry an experiment to compare the rate of rusting of iron, steel and stainless steel. I want to know what is the function of the potassium hexacyanoferrate III solution in this experiment.

susan lim
- penang, malaysia
June 6, 2009

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June 8, 2009

Hi, Susan. We could tell you that your chemical will combine with Fe+2 to form Prussian Blue, but this is still only a partial answer. If you don't know how to conduct the experiment, or the roles of the chemicals you are using, it's probably time to talk honestly with the teacher/professor. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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We did an experiment on 'how can you increase the rate of rusting' salt was the main thing that we were testing.
I was wondering why is it that salt increase the speed of rusting? I have googled it and can't find an answer

Kristal Brown
- Australia, WA, Perth
September 8, 2009

Hi, My name is katie and I am in 5th grade. I'm doing a project like the ones mentioned earlier. I wanted to know about how long it takes for plain steel to rust so I know when to start my project. Also, do you know if iced tea creates rust? I want to make sure all my liquids cause the steel to rust so I don't waste time. Do you know if citrus dissolves the metal? Some websites say it does and some don't. Please reply ASAP so I can start the procedure soon. Thanks, KT

Katie M. [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Student - Dallas, Texas
December 22, 2010

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December 23, 2010

Hi, Katie. Steel will start to rust in a day or so, but will continue to rust for a very long time. Your project should be at least a week and preferably two. What does "citrus" mean to you? Why would you want all of your liquids to cause rust -- then it would be impossible to try to determine causality or to say that there is anything that doesn't cause rust. The question to ask yourself in organizing your experiment is: "What is the most important thing I can learn from this effort?". Then you try to tailor your experiment to deliver that learning experience.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

What chemical, mineral or impurity in tap water causes a nail to rust quicker than salt water?

Malinda S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Charleston, South Carolina
January 17, 2011

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Ed. note: We are happy to help students when we can, But there are hundreds of millions of students in the world with science projects and a handful of us, drowning under a flood of repetitive student questions. Please visit our FAQ page, and search the site for similar Q&A's. Your question has probably been answered a dozen times :-)