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Q&As since 1989


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Rust on steel

I am doing a science fair project involving steel and rust. I have gone to many websites to find out why steel rusts and I just can't seem to find enough information. Can you please help asap?    Thanks!

Holly W.
student - Macon, Georgia, United States
2004

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2004

Hi, Holly! There are dozens of letters on this site that describe what rust is and why steel rusts if you wish to try our search engine. Do that now and skip the rest of this reply, it's just lecture mode :-)

The problem is that it is difficult to find the stuff you want because there is too much and it's not organized.

Imagine you had to write a 3-page report on John Quincy Adams, and you ran into an 85-year old researcher who had spent his life studying Adams. You ask him if he has info on Adams and he tells you he has 30 file cabinets with a quarter million pages of notes for you. The only problem is a hurricane blew through so the files are all jumbled out of order. That's the internet.

Your parents and teachers are too old and too shell-shocked by the internet and the information age to understand that you need to use books rather than internet searches for such subjects. Be smarter; ask your librarian for a book or at least an encyclopedia entry on rust. An education which is a hurricane blown jumble with no theme won't serve you well. Save time, get a book. Good luck with your science project!

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