1. You will
need to line up 5 glass small glass
jars. If you happen to have
test tubes and corks - even better.
2. Put a bit
of wire wool in each container.
3. Mark or label
your jars/test tubes as 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5 so that you can write down what
you have put in each container.
4. Pour some water
into your first container labelled
'1' and put the lid on or cork in
it.
5. Pour some boiled
water into your second container labelled
'2' and put the lid on or cork
in it.
6. Leave your
third container labelled '3' open
and exposed to the air (air
contains water vapour).
7. Mix some
salt with some tap water and pour
this into your fouth container labelled
'4' and place the lid on or cork in
it.
8. Add a pinch
of bicarbonate of soda in your fith
container labelled '5' and place the
lid on or cork in it. (bicarbonate
of soda may help to remove water vapour
from the trapped air).
9. Leave your containers
for one day.
10. Observe
your containers the following day
and write down your observations.
Rust is a very common chemical reaction
which happens to iron and the metals
containing iron. Rust is caused
by a combination of water and air
and is speeded up by adding salt to
the equation.
The container to show rust first
should be number '4' as it has salt
added to the water.
Containers '2' and '5' will only
start to show rust if the air and
any water vapours get through the
lids into the containers. |