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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: 5ootphp on June 03, 2008, 06:41:40 PM

Title: What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?
Post by: 5ootphp on June 03, 2008, 06:41:40 PM

What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?

I did it and I'm not sure exactly what it did. I think oxidation happened. I don't know.


Also, What is the chem equation?

Title: Re: What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?
Post by: enahs on June 03, 2008, 07:01:39 PM

What are the two reactants? The formulas?
Can you attempt to write out the equation?

What did you witness? This tells you one must be in what phase?

Title: Re: What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?
Post by: 5ootphp on June 04, 2008, 03:01:52 PM

Quote from: enahs on June 03, 2008, 07:01:39 PM

What are the two reactants? The formulas?
Can you attempt to write out the equation?

What did you witness? This tells you one must be in what phase?

If I knew that I would have written so. But I dont. You tell me.

Title: Re: What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?
Post by: macman104 on June 04, 2008, 03:56:52 PM

If you assume the nail is made of iron, what is the rust?  (google clearly has the answer)

What is the chemical formula of Hydrogen peroxide?

The last part of enahs question is very clear, and requires simple observation on your part.  What happened when you added the hydrogen peroxide to the rusty nail?

Title: Re: What happens when a rusty nail is placed in hydrogen peroxide?
Post by: limpet chicken on June 07, 2008, 10:07:56 AM

This isn't quite a straightforward question for a beginner, seeing as transition metals often catalyse the decomposition of H2O2.

In the case of very concentrated H2O2, it will probably decompose explosively.