[F5] CHAPTER 3 : OXIDATION AND

REDUCTION
To investigate the effect of other metals on the rusting of iron

How do different types of metals in contact with iron

affect the rusting of iron

A more electropositive metal will prevent iron from

rusting.
A less electropositive metal will increase the rate of
rusting.

 Manipulated variable : Different types of metals

Responding variable : The presence of blue
colouration/rusting of iron
Controlled variable : Iron nails, hot jelly solution

Test tubes and test tube rack

Iron nails, magnesium ribbon, copper strip, zinc strip, tin

strip, hot jelly solution, potassium hexacyanoferrate(III)
solution, phenolphtalein indicator and sandpaper.

1.

Five iron nails, magnesium ribbon, copper strip, zinc strip

and tin strip are cleaned with sandpaper.

2.

A clean iron nail is placed in test tube labelled A.

3.

The other four iron nails are wrapped with magnesium

ribbon, copper strip, zinc strip and tin strip respectively and
placed in test tubes labelled B, C, D and E.

4.

A hot jelly solution is prepared. A few drops of potassium

hexacyanoferrate(II) solution and phenolphtalein are added
to the hot jelly solution.

5.

The mixture is stirred and the poured into each test tubes
to completely cover all the four iron nails.

6.

The test tubes are kept in a test tube rack and set aside for
two days.

7.

Any changes of the colour of the solution each test tube

are observed and recorded

Test
tub
e

Pair of
metals

Fe only

Fe+Zn

Fe+Cu

Fe+Mg

Fe+Sn

Intensity Intensity
of the
of the
blue
pink
colour in colour in
the
the
solution solution
low
none

Very high

None

high

Inference

none

Iron(II) ions present. Iron nail

undergoes rusting.

High

Iron(II) ions absent. No rusting

occurs. Hydroxide ions are
present.

None

Very high concentration of

iron(II) ions presence. Iron nail
rusts at the highest rate

Very high

Iron(II) ions is not present. No

rusting occurs. A lot of
hyroxide ions present.

none

A lot of iron(II) ions present.

Iron nail undergoes rusting
faster than iron nail in test
tube A.

1.

The more electropositive metals prevent rusting of iron.

2.

The less electropositive metals increase the rate of rusting

3.

The hypothesis is accepted.

1.

Potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution is added to

detect the presence of iron(II) ions Fe2+. When iron ions
presence, a dark blue colour produced. The more iron(II)
ions formed, the higher the intensity of the dark blue
colour produced.

2.

Phenolphtalein is added to detect the presence of

hydroxide ions, OH-. The presence of hydroxide ions, OHincreases the alkalinity of the solution and gives pink
colour to the solution.

3.

Jelly solution is used to enable us to see the blue and pink

colour in the solution because it is transparent and it
slows down the diffusion process.

 Test tube A is used as a control to compare the effect of

other metals on the rusting of iron.
In the presence of water and oxygen, iron nail rust a little.
The iron is oxidised to iron(II) ions.
Fe(S)

Fe2+(aq) + 2e-

The presence of iron(II) ions, Fe2+ give dark blue

precipitate with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution.
The oxygen in the solution together with the water is
reduced to hydroxide ions, OH-.
The hydroxide ions, OH- formed combined with iron(II)
ions to form iron(II) hydroxide, Fe(OH)2 during the rusting
pprocess. Therefore, the phenolphtalein does not produce
pink colour.

 In test tube B and D, zinc and magnesium are more electropositive than
iron. They act as negative terminal (anode) and iron as the positive
terminal ( cathode)
Zinc is oxidised to zinc ion, Zn2+ by donating electrons

Zn(s)

Zn2+( aq) + 2e-

Magnesium is oxidised to magnesium ion, Mg2+ by donating electrons.

Mg(s)
Mg2+(aq) + 2e The electrons flow to iron which acts as the positive terminal
(cathode)and received by oxygen in the solution. The oxygen in the
solution together with thewater is rduced to hydroxide ions, OH-.

O2(g) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-

4OH-(aq)

The presence of the hydroxide ions, OH- gives pink colour with
phenolphtalein.
The corrosion of magnesium is faster than the corrosion of zinc because
magnesium is more elctropositive than zinc. Test tube D produce higher
intensity of pink colour compared to test tube B.

 Copper and tin are less electropositive than iron. Iron acts as negative
terminal (anode) while they act as positive terminal (cathode).
Iron is oxidised to iron(II) ion, Fe2+ by donating electrons.
Fe(s)

Fe2+(aq) + 2e-

The presence of iron(II) ions, Fe2+ give dark blue precipitate with
potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution.
The electrons flow to copper and tin and received by oxygen. Oxygen
and water reducec to hyroxide ions, OH-.
O2(g) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-

4OH-(aq)

Hydroxide ions combined with iron(II) ios forming iron(II) hydroxide

during rusting. Phenolphtalein does not produce pink colour.
Rate of rusting in test tube C and E are higher than in test tube A
because the presence of copper and tin with different electropositivity
which speed up the rusting process (oxidation of iron) . Hence, the
intensity of blue colour in test tube C and E are higher than A.
Comparing the intensity of blue colour in C and E, C has higher
intensity as copper is less electropositive than tin. Rate of rusting in C
is higher and more iron(II) ions produced give higher intensity of dark
blue colour with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution.