How much oxygen is used when iron wool rusts?

A full-frame photograph of panels of rusty corrugated iron

Source: © Getty Images

Try this practical to investigate how much oxygen is used in rusting and calculate the percentage of oxygen in air. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

When iron rusts, water and oxygen in the air react with the iron to form iron oxide. In this experiment, students set up iron wool to rust in a test tube full of air, inverted in a beaker of water.

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