THE EFFECTS OF OTHER TYPES OF WATER TO THE RUSTING RATE OF

METAL

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements in Science 8

Submitted by:

Elijah Kuro L. Jaiden

Submitted to:

Fernandez A. Ionite

July 30, 2018

CHAPTER I – PROBLEM AND ITS SETTINGS

Background of the Study

 Metals are one of the most used resource here on earth. People use metal to

make different tools, technology and products. Technology is for making work easier and

for doing things that are normally impossible without it. In some cases, metal can be the

main ingredient in making tools for working in where water is present. The researchers

chose this topic to know which type of water oxidizes metal the most which may help

technicians and engineers who work on water know if their tools will maintain their

condition for long and to know if they should change the material which they used to make

such tools to work within or related to the ocean or general liquid. Water is an essential

part of each and every living being here on earth. Without water, there wouldn’t be any

living beings at all like humans because humans are 70% water however, water can be

a bit of a problem too when you add metal to the picture because water can cause

oxidation to the metal and cause rusting which can be a bit of a problem when doing work

using metal tools. So this is a must to research to not only fill our minds with valuable

information but to help those who improve our daily lives who work within water.

Statement of the Problem

This project aims to determine the difference of the time it takes for metal to rust

using different types of water. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the follow

questions:

1. What are the different effects of tap water, salt water and purified water to the

duration it takes for metal to rust?

2. Variables:

Independent Variable: The type of water

Dependent Variable: The amount of rust covering the metal

 Constant Variable: The type of metal

Hypothesis

There is a significant difference in the rusting rate using saltwater which is the fastest in

corroding metal

Significance of the Study

This study is significant to people making tools and machinery which is used for

something in which water is present to avoid rust from being present in their final product

after a long time.

Scope and Delimitation

The researchers focus on the effects of water on metal specifically tap water, salt water

and purified water in a container. The metal will be placed in three separate containers.

All factors maintained constant except the water to be used for the metal in each different

container. The container will contain salt water, the second container will contain tap

water and the third container will contain purified water for a duration of four weeks. The

rust present in the metal, the size of the metal and the general condition of the metal will

be observed and compared. This experiment will test the tolerance of metal to 3 different

types of water to oxidation. The set up should be done in room temperature and the

condition of both the quality of the metal, the container and the water should be similar.

Definition of Terms
For better understanding of this Investigative Project, I have presented the definitions of

each term specified in this project.

Oxidation - is a process in which a chemical substance changes because of

the addition of oxygen or basically the process of rusting.

Technology - machinery and equipment developed from the application of scientific

knowledge.

Corrosion – The process where metal atoms react with their environment

Electrolyte - chemicals that conduct electricity when mixed with water.

Galvanic corrosion – is an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes

preferentially when it’s in electrical contact with another, in the presence of an electrolyte
 Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature and Studies

Related Literature

Metal is a solid material that is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and

ductile with a good electrical and thermal conductivity (e.g., iron, gold, silver,
copper, and aluminum, and alloys such as brass and steel). According to

Wikipedia, Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that

contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly NaCl). The salt

concentration is usually expressed in parts per thousand (permille, ‰) or

parts per million (ppm). The United States Geological Survey classifies saline

water is around 1,000 to 3,000 ppm (0.1-0.3%), in moderately saline water

3,000 to 10,000 pp, (0.3-1%) and in highly saline water 10,000 to 35,000 *1-

3.5%). Sea water has a salinity of roughly 35,000ppm, equivalent to 35 grams

of salt per one liter (or kilogram) of water. The saturation level is dependent

on the temperature of the water. At 20 °C one milliliter of water can dissolve

about 0.357 grams of salt; a concentration of 26.3%. At boiling (100 °C) the

amount that can be dissolved in one milliliter of water increases to about 0.391

grams or 28.1% saline solution. Tap water is simply piped water which is

often culturally assumed to be drinking water, especially in developed

countries. Usually it is potable, although water quality problems are not rare.

Household water purification methods such as water filters, boiling, or

distillation can be used when tap water's potability is doubted.

Related Studies

Foreign
According to Kelsey (www.knowswhy.com/why-do-nails-rust/) The reason

that iron rusts and other metals oxidize is because rust and other oxidation

forms are a lower energy and thus more stable than the metal form. The

combination of the metal iron atom and an oxygen atom releases energy as

they combine, and rust would actually feel hot if rusting were a much faster

process. To return the rust to an un-oxidized state, energy would needed to

be added to force the two atoms to separate.

According to Tony Oldhand (2017), Whenever two dissimilar metals are

connected or placed together, galvanic action takes place. Galvanic action is

an electrical phenomenon that causes a small current to flow. Over time, this

current flow causes oxygen to penetrate deep into metals, causing corrosion.

The end result is rust in ferrous metals, and oxidation and degradation in non-

ferrous metals. If the metals are exposed to the weather, corrosion sets in

quicker

According to MNN Purified water — Purified water is water that comes from

any source, but has been purified to remove any chemicals or contaminants.

Types of purification include distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, and

carbon filtration. Like distilled water, it has its advantages and disadvantages,

the advantages being that potentially harmful chemicals may be taken out

and the disadvantage being that beneficial minerals may be taken out as well.

Local
According to the Science Book of Metals, the main catalyst for the rusting

process is water. Iron or steel structures might appear to be solid, but water

molecules can penetrate the microscopic pits and cracks in any exposed metal.

The hydrogen atoms present in water molecules can combine with other

elements to form acids, which will eventually cause more metal to be exposed.