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Why is the mass of a rusted nail greater then the mass of the nail before it rusted?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
The nail is iron. Rust is a chemical reaction.
4Fe + 3O2 --> 2Fe2O3
When the nail rusts it becomes chemically bonded to oxygen. This combination is heavier than just iron. Therefore, it gains mass.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThe mass of a rusted nail would be greater than the nail was before it was rusted because oxidation causes growth on the outside of the object. The rusting process causes puckers to form on top of an object before it is totally eaten away.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoRust is iron oxide, a molecule consisting of iron and oxygen. The mass of the iron in the rust molecules comes from the original nail, but the mass of the oxygen has come from the air. When rust forms on iron, the mass of the iron object is increased by the mass of the oxygen that has combined with some of the iron
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoWhen a nail rusts, it reacts with its environment to create rust (Fe2O3). The Oxygen wasn't part of the nail before the rusting occured, but it is afterwards. So the added oxygen is responsible for the change in mass.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoShort Answer: The additional mass of a rusted nail comes from oxygen in the air reacting with iron in the nail to form rust.
First, let's assume that the nail is made of steel, which is about 97-98% iron and <1-1.5% carbon. Steel contains various small amounts of other elements like phosphorus, manganese, silicon and sulfur.
Steel rusts when the iron is oxidized to hematite, or Fe2O3. The Atomic Mass of iron is 55.8 u, but the molecular weight of hematite is 160 u. Therefore, for every iron atom that oxidizes, the mass of the nail increases by [160 - (2 x 55.8)]/2 = 24.2 u. In other terms, if the entire nail were oxidized, then the weight of the nail would increase by about 43% depending on exactly how much iron is in the nail.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoBecause you changed it's chemical form now there is another substance on the nail. Rust has a mass right. So you add the mass of the nail to the mass of the rust & your answer is larger than just the mass of the nail. I wouldn't go into how the rust got o the nail or what chemicals make the rust because you didn't ask that. i hope this answers your question.
P.S. I surprized you didn't know that
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoit is very simple actually because believe it or not rust has its own mass and after the nail rusts its mass increases
Wiki User
∙ 13y agobecause the rust adds an extra layer thusfore a bigger mass.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe nail is almost pure iron. After rusting it has become iron oxide. The iron is still there, but now it has oxygen as well so it is heavier.
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What are the physical properties of iron nail?
A few physical properties of an iron nail are its mass, volume, and density.
What happens when you rub a nail with a magnet?
Rubbing a nail with a magnet will align some of the magnetic domains in the nail. This will have the effect of making the nail into a magnet. The nail won't be a strong magnet, but it will come away with some residual magnetism. Suggestion: try a simple experiment with a nail and a magnet and some small paper clips to see if this works.
What minerals are found in a nail file?
Emery is the mineral in a nail file
What kind of magnet is a magnetized nail?
what kind of magnet is a magnetized nail
Can a finger nail conduct electricity?
a nail is a conductor of electricity
Why is mass of a rusted nail would be greater than the mass of a rusted nail before it rusted.?
it is very simple actually because believe it or not rust has its own mass and after the nail rusts its mass increases
Why is the mass of a rusted nail greater than the mass of the nail before it rusted?
oxygen atoms are added to iron atoms to form a molcule with a combined mass of iron and oxygen
Explain why the mass of a rusted nail would be greater than the mass of the nail before it rusted Assume that all the rust is still attatched to the nail?
Rust is a compound of iron and oxygen. Therefore the mass is greater because oxygen has been added.
Why would the mass of a rusted nail would be greater than the mass of the nail before?
When iron rusts, it combines with oxygen to form iron oxide (rust). You now have the original mass of iron PLUS the mass of the combined oxygen.
Whythe mass of a rusted nail would be great than the mass of the nail before it rust?
Because a rusty nail still contains the same amount of iron that was present in the unrusted nail only it now contains the additonal weight of the oxygen which has combined with the iron to form rust.
Compare the mass of iron and oxygen before the reaction with the mass of rust resulting from the reaction?
The mass of iron plus the mass of oxygen used in the reaction is equal to the mass of rust formed after the reaction.Iron, Fe Relative Atomic Mass = 55.85 g/molOxygen, O Ar = 16.00 g/molRust, Fe2O3 Relative Molar Mass = 2 x 55.85 + 3 x 16.00Mr = 159.7 g/molPercentage of iron by mass = (2 x 55.85)/ 159.7 x 100= 69.94%Percentage oxygen by mass in rust = 30.06%a
When an iron nail rusts does its mass lose?
The iron nail, in wet conditions, will eventually rust completely away. * * * * * But if you collect all the rusted particles that fall away, then there will be an increase in mass.
Why the rusted nails would have a greater volume than the same nails before they had rusted?
Some gaseous oxygen from the air, reacts with the iron, forming rust (Fe + O2). This additional oxygen increases the total volume of, what was, just the nail.
What do rusted iron nail and the Statue of Liberty have in common?
what is the question :)
Why is it difficult to unscrew a rusted nail?
I'm pretty sure you can't screw a NAIL. A screw maybe...
When stepping on a rusted nail how does that effect your body?
If you stepped on a rusty nail you should go to the doctor and get a tetanus shot
Is the nail will be rusted if placed in soft drinks?
It's said that Coca Cola can take the rust off of a rusty nail.
