Project cost ($):
1 hour to prepare, 2 days for the science project experiment
For this science project, you will need metal sheets, and these will have to be cut into small squares at a workshop or in your laboratory.
Basic safety requirements
Table of Contents
This science fair project was conducted to find out the corrosiveness of different types of metals. The science project experiment involved using copper, aluminum, iron and zinc plates.
Aluminum is the most resistant to corrosion.
The materials required for the science fair project experiment:
- 3 copper sheets (cut to 1cm x 1cm)
- 3 aluminum sheets (cut to 1cm x1cm)
- 3 iron sheets (cut to 1cm x1cm)
- 3 zinc sheets (cut to 1cm x1cm)
- 12 beakers
- 1200ml of tap water
- 1200ml of salt water (100 gram of salt in 1200ml water)
- 1200ml of lime juice mixed with water (200ml lime and 1000ml water)
- 1 measuring cylinder
- 1 piece of cloth
- 1 bottle of alcohol
- 1 pair of scissors
- 1 ruler
- 1 black marker pen
1. For this science fair project, the independent variable is the type of metal and the solution the metal is immersed in. The dependent variable is the appearance of rust or corrosion on the metal sheets over time. This is determined by observing the surface of the metal after 2 day. The constants (control variables) are the size of the metal sheet, the amount of solution used and the length of time the rust is allowed to set in the metal sheets.
It was observed that the aluminum sheet was the most resistant to rust, out of the 4 types of metals used in this experiment.
Y - metal plate is ok, no corrosion
X – Corrosion has started to appear on the metal plate
Our hypothesis has been proven to be true. Between aluminum, copper, iron and zinc, aluminum is the most corrosion resistant metal. Most metals already have some form of natural or factory-applied coating on their surfaces to prevent or delay corrosion from taking place. However, when the metal sheets are cut into smaller pieces, the surface will become exposed on the sides that are cut. This is where most of the corrosion begins.
What would happen if the science project experiment is done using other metals like tin, lead, magnesium or nickel?
Corrosion - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrosion