The student conducted an experiment to see how different metals affect the rusting of iron nails. They placed iron nails wrapped in copper or zinc ribbons, coated in vaseline, or unwrapped into test tubes of water. After 4 days, the nail with copper rusted heavily, the nail with zinc and vaseline-coated nail did not rust, while the bare nail rusted heavily. The student concluded that zinc protects iron from rusting by rusting itself instead.

1. By Rob Sbaglia

2.  The aim was to find out whether
I could use different metals affect
a nail rusting.

3.  Zinc ribbon
 Copper ribbon
 Vaseline
 4 iron nails
 4 test tubes
 test tube holder

4. 1. Wrap the copper ribbon
around a nail as pictured on
the left.
2. Wrap the zinc ribbon on
another nail as shown.
3. Completely cover one of the
nails with vaseline.
4. Into a fourth test tube place
a nail.
5. Fill each tube with water
and leave standing for 4
days

5. Nail Result
Nail with copper Lots of rusting
Nail with zinc No rusting
Nail with vaseline No rusting
Nail with water Lots of rusting

6.  It was hard to see how
much rusting had
happened. I think next time
I might weigh the nails and
see if they have changed
weight.
 Rusting happens when
water comes into contact
with iron. I read that some
metals rust instead of iron if
they are in there together.
The rust preferred the zinc
to the iron, but the rust
preferred the iron to the
zinc
Copper
doesn’t
rust
Zinc rusts
instead of
nail

7.  In conclusion, copper doesn’t
rust so it is no good at protecting
a nail. Zinc does rust, so it can
protect a nail from rusting.