Chemistry Project on Rusty nails. Faster or slower at higher temperature?

A. Hi, Jerry. Although the "scientific method" calls for some research on the topic before the experiment, I'm sure you know by Junior year that this always leads to students trying to figure out what the "right" answer is supposed to be before they do the experiment -- and then throwing away any contrary results, giving far too much weight to results that agree with what they expected, dismissing "wrong" findings as experimental error, etc. If you do it that way, knowing the answer that you want your experiment to produce, that is not science, that is the very definition of "junk science", and you should give yourself an "F" :-)

Instead, ask yourself "will the nails rust faster at higher temperature because chemical activity & chemical reaction rates are faster; or will they rust slower because there is less dissolved oxygen at higher temperature?" Now you have a real experiment to be curious about.

Try to design a test using an aquarium and aquarium heater if possible, and/or a refrigerator, to try to try to observe the corrosion rate at different temperatures.

Also, ask the teacher how you are supposed to judge the corrosion rate (visible rust? weight before and after? discoloration of the water?). Until you can agree on how you will measure the amount of rusting, you may not be able to make claims about what rusted fastest. Good luck.

Regards,