Rust Removal C2E Science Fair 2009/2010

Big question What eats away rust better-Coke or coffee or lemon juice?

Hypothesis If you put a nail in a container of coke, then the coke will eat the rust away. If you place a nail in a cup of coffee, then it will make the rust grow. If you place a nail in a glass of lemon juice, then the lemon juice will not do anything to the rust. The Coke will eat away the most rust because it is carbonated and has the highest acid level.

Facts about rust, Coke, lemon juice, and coffee. Rust is formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture.ironoxygen Given sufficient time, oxygen, and water, any iron mass eventually converts entirely to rust and disintegrates. The citric acid in Coke removes stains The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric Acid. Its pH is 2.8—an extremely powerful acid. Lemon and salt can be used to treat rust spots, and to clean copper pots. A study shows that Americans get most of their antioxidants from their daily fix of java. 1,200 different chemical components are in coffee.

Materials 1 can of Coke 1 cup of coffee 1 cup of lemon juice 3 rusted nails 3 clear containers tweezers

Procedure 1.Label the containers with the name of the liquids that you are using. 2.Fill each container with the liquid on the label. 3.Put one rusted nail in each container of liquid. 4.Observe daily for one week, and document results. 5.Observe the bottom of containers for rust particles.

Rusted nails

Rusted nails in Coke, lemon juice, and coffee

“clean” nails

Coke’s “clean” nails (still a little rusty.)

Lemon juice’s clean nails (completely free of rust.)

Coffee’s “clean” nails (rust stained black.)

Journal Nov Started experiment. Placed 2 rusty nails in coke, 2 rusty nails in lemon juice, and 2 rusty nails in the coffee. Check daily for rust removal for 1 week. Lemon juice ate all the rust in 3 hours. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing but stain the nails. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing at all. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing at all. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing at all. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing at all. Nov The coke ate more rust. The coffee did nothing at all.

Results I had mix results with my experiment. My data did not lead me to my hypothesis. I thought that the coke solution would work the quickest to remove the rust but it did not. Instead, it was the second fastest. The lemon juice cleaned off the rust first and I thought it wouldn’t do anything. I really can’t tell what the rust did in the coffee, because it stained it to a dark black.

Conclusion In conclusion, I found out that lemon juice cleaned the rust off of the nails in less than 3 hours. Even though Coke cleaned some of the rust off of the nail, it’s just better to drink it. And finally, coffee just stains things, but helps get my parents moving in the morning.

References en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rust