Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

i am doing a science experiment on how different liquids affect the corrosion rates on a steel nail in water and salt water. After a couple days the nail had a orange substance layered on it ( i thought it was rust). By day 7 it would layer on the nail and fall off ( wasn't stuck on). when i weighed the nails they don't drop by much in mass ( 0.04 g ) . most of the substance fell off and collected at the bottom . What do you think the orange substance on the nails were? how did it form when not much mass was lossed?

i also want to ask what the chemical formula of corrosion with steel ? and what metals are steel made out of?

i wanted to ask what the chemical formula of corrosion with steel ? and what metals are steel made out of?

thank you

moderator note: Please keep your questions together in the same topic so the experts can follow-up on your questions. Thank you.

Hello navasf3100,

Are you working on the project described at the following link?

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ml#summary

If not, the information provided there may be helpful to you.

The orange material you described in your post is rust, which is an iron oxide. Steel contains iron, carbon and other metallic elements. The following links may be useful.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel

I hope this helps. Please post again if you have more questions.

A. Norman