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curated with aloha by
ted_yosem
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
- Pine Beach, NJ
finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry


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For Science Project, Student Needs to Know What Metals Corrode Fastest




Q. I am a student researching a science project and I need to find information on Metals in cars: which corrode fastest. If you could give any information it would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Francesca K [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Double Bay, NSW, Australia
2002


A. Steel corrodes fairly quickly if it's not properly protected with a good coating of some sort, and a lot of steel is used in cars, Franceska.

But you really don't have a science project until you have learned enough about the general subject that you are able to understand the issues you are trying to ask about :-)

Search engines allow you to find answers, and cut and paste them, when you don't even understand the question That's one important reason why books are critical to projects like this. When you have succeeded in finding something useful to your project in a book, you are beginning to understand what your project is really about. Please ask a town or school librarian to help you find an age-appropriate book on corrosion. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002



Q. I am a student researching corrosion. I have only just started and I can't find out which metals corrode and which don't. I need 4 of each for my essay. If you can help me, please do. Thanks.

Kirsty S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Solford North West England
2006



Metal Samples

on Amazon

(affil links)
2006

I can help, Kirsty: think about this. What kinds of metals are miners or prospectors seeking when they look for nuggets or dusts? And what kind of metals are we trying to make when we take raw ores and fire them at high temperatures to try to drive off the oxygen and convert the ore to metal by removing the oxygen?

The reason that hint should help is this: if we can find a nugget or dust of pure metal in nature, which hasn't corroded in millions of years, that metal obviously doesn't corrode, does it? And if we can't find that metal in nature, but instead must smelt the metal from ores (oxides, sulfides, or carbonates of that metal), then that metal obviously does corrode. Good luck.

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


Q. I'm doing a science fair project and I would like to know which metals corroded the fastest in liquid.

I also I have another question which metals corroded the best together.

Cassidy B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Southampton, Massachusetts
January 7, 2010


A. Hi, Cassidy. Yes, your experimental results will tell you which metals corroded the fastest in liquid. But you will have to define what kind of liquid you are talking about: water, salt water, vinegar, bleach, olive oil, or what.

Regarding your 2nd question of which metals "corroded the best together", I think you will need to spend a bit more thought in carefully phrasing the question. Do you mean which are safe to use together with no fear of galvanic corrosion, or do you mean which will react most powerfully with each other, creating a battery. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 7, 2010



Q. In my project the liquids I'm using are water, orange juice, and Coca-Cola. Which metals (meaning any metal) will corrode best with another metal (meaning any metal)

Cassidy B [returning]
- Southampton, Massachusetts
January 9, 2010



January , 2010

Look up "the galvanic series" (or "seawater series"), Cassidy. Metals which are close together on that list have similar potentials and will not accelerate corrosion too much. The metals which are furthest apart will create a powerful corrosion battery. The familiar pair, zinc and copper, i.e., galvanized nails and pennies, are pretty far apart and will generate 1.1 volts as the zinc corrodes.

Regards,

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




Q. Which metal (silver, steel, zinc, copper, and aluminium) corrodes the fastest and does it corrode fastest with distilled water, salt water, or "rain"? Hoping you can help, this is the overview of how the experiment is going to be done:
http://www.infoplease.com/cig/science-fair-projects/metal-corrodes-fastest.html

Maria L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Los Angeles, California, United States of America
August 11, 2015


A. Hi Maria. Yes, we can help. Perform the experiment as directed on the page you mentioned, submit your results here, and we'll be happy to comment on them, and confirm whether we think your results are valid.

But don't ask anyone for the answers before you do the experiment because that will surely lead to you discounting observations that contradict it, giving too much weight to observations that happen to agree, etc. It is very hard for a young student to do an experiment properly if they have been told what results to expect. Good luck.

Regards,

ted_yosem
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 2015




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