EXPERIMENT NO.

6
METALS AND SOME ASPECTS OF CORROSION

1.OBJECTIVES
Familiarize with the properties of metals;
Ascertain the relative activities of metal;
Demonstrate the concepts of corrosion; and
Investigate the methods of corrosion prevention.

2. THEORY
Metals possess certain characteristics properties; malleability (ability to be
flattened into thin sheets). Ductility (ability to be drawn out into wires, surface luster
(“shininess”), and electrical conductivity. Others “bulk” properties, reflect of the wats
atoms are arranged an particular samples.

Metals are characterized by loosely held valence electrons occupying only a few
of the possible orbital of the outermost principal energy levels. In condensed phases
( liquid or solids), metallic atoms are packed closely together. The valence electrons of
one atom may spend a portion of their time in vacant valence orbital of neighboring
atoms. The close spacing of various possible electronic levels ( sublevels ) permits
valence electrons in metal considerable freedom of distribution. In metallic crystals and
to a lesser extent, in liquid metals, the valence electrons are quite mobile and are not
closely associated with any particular ions in a “cloud” of fluid electron cloud. The ease
of the electron flow, malleability, and ductility of metals and the high surface luster of
pure metals are explained in terms of this model for the metallic bond.

Rusting of metals is a special case of metal oxidation. Iron will oxidize to form
rust. Water will cause metals to rust; this reaction can be accelerated by adding salts. In
the corrosion process, metals get oxidized. For example in mild steel (which is greater
than 99%) the metal corrodes according to the following equation:

Fe-Fe + 2e (the removal of e )

These electrons are consumed by reacting with another substance ( usually

oxygen but it can be H + in acids) in reduction as in

O+4e=2H O- 4OH ( the gaining of e )

In an acid solution, the reduction is 2H +2e- H

 These equations indicate that in order for metals to corrode (rust) two reaction
occur: an oxidation that converts metal to non metal ions and electrons and a second
reaction which consumes those electrons by converting oxygen and water to hydroxide
ions. In order for these reaction to occur, the electrons must be transported from the place
where the metal dissolves to the place there the oxygen is consumed and an ionic current
mass also flow between the sites to complete the circuit. This ionic current flows more
easily through water containing electrolytes (i.e..,) NaCl.) this accounts for the rapid
rusting of unprotected steel in a salty environment(Timpaneli and Allen).

3. APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

1 set – test tubes with rack

1pc – crucible tong
4pcs – petri dish
Sodium, (Na), Magnesium (Mg), mossy Zn, Iron, and Copper metals
1.0M solutions of:
Copper sulfate (CuSO)
Zinc sulfate(FeSO)
Mercuric chloride(HgC )
Sulfuric acid (H SO )
0.1 M Potassium ferriyanide
Phenolpthalein indicator