Corrosion and Rust
Part of the Oxidation and Reduction section of Coddy's Chemistry journey. Lesson 19 of 27.
Corrosion: a metal oxidized by its surroundings. Rusting needs both oxygen and water.
4Fe + 3O₂ → 2Fe₂O₃
Fe 0 to +3 (oxidized); O 0 to −2 (reduced).
Prevent it with a barrier (paint, oil) or a more reactive metal (zinc, in galvanizing) that is oxidized instead.
Challenge
Overall, rusting turns iron into iron(III) oxide: Fe + O₂ → Fe₂O₃. Name the element oxidized and count the electrons passed in the balanced equation.
Try it yourself
Oxidation numbersFollow the electrons
FeO2Fe2O3
Test yourselfThis lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.
All lessons in Oxidation and Reduction
1Electron Transfer
What Is OxidationOxidation NumbersRules for Oxidation NumbersOxidation Numbers in IonsRecap - Number Painter4Metals and Reactivity
The Reactivity SeriesDisplacement ReactionsMetals and AcidsCorrosion and RustRecap - Metal Contest