Science Experiment
Wasting Away
Picture it: Being the enthusiastic scientist that you are, you decide to conduct a science experiment with the brand new mountain bike that you have just bought. So you head to the beach for a bit of a cruise along the sand. When you get there, being the clever scientist that you are you deflate the tires a little to increase the surface area so it is easier to ride (
click here
for a science experiment on surface area). After a half hour of hard exercise you head home again. The next afternoon you take your one day old bike out of the garage to go for another ride on the beach but you notice some reddish stuff on the handle bars. Rust! But it is only on the handle bars??? Here is the experiment to explain this situation and how to avoid it. Let's do science...
The Experiment
The Aim
The find out if different metals rust or corrode faster than others. Equipment Needed 10 test tubes with a test tube rack (if you cannot get hold of test tubes you can use clear drinking glasses).two 15-20 cm long dowel rods or pencils (if you use glasses instead of test tubes you will have to have 20 of either of these).Salt water
solution
(check out the definition in the online science dictionary) - mix 1 table spoon, or 15 ml, of salt into 1 cup, or 250 ml, of water. If you use glasses instead of test tubes you will need to make more than 250 ml of this solution – but I am sure you would have figured this out!30 cm (about 12 inches) of different types of wire – examples are silver, steel, zinc, copper, aluminum. You could use any of these or any other metal that you want to test. You are also not limited to 5 metals. Method Label each test tube (or glass) with what wire you will tested in them. You will have 2 tubes for each metal, one with salt solution (this is the experiment) and one with nothing in it (this is the control).Fill 5 of the test tubes with the salt solution and leave the other 5 empty.Cut the wires in half. Use one piece of each of the wires for the control and one for the experiment. Wrap one end of each of the wires around the dowel rod or pencil and space the different wires apart enough so that they will hang into separate test tubes once the dowel rod is balanced on top of the row of tubes.Once set up, you should have 2 rows of tubes (or glasses), the controls and experiments, each with a different wire hanging in them.Over the next 10 days make notes of any changes noticed in the appearance of the wires. Use your
Logbook
for these observations. Results and ConclusionsThese will depend on what metals you decide to use. I am sure you will be able to observe the results from your science experiment and make conclusions without me having to tell you!
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