Iron Nail + Vinegar = ? Puzzled by results in experiment (1 Viewer)

3DD1E

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Hello everyone,

I have set up an experiment for a (Year 11) chemistry project. I created 5 different solutions with varying amounts of white vinegar mixed with tap water (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% concentrations of vinegar). I then placed a regular iron nail in each solution with a small section of the nail exposed to air and not submerged in the solution.

It has been 7 days, and the nail in the water has a full covering of orange rust (on the surface where it is submerged) and the water has also turned orange due to the rust flaking off.

However, the nails in any of the solutions with vinegar (as low as the 25% concentration solution) have no visible signs of rust formed on the submerged surface. Instead, a black solid substance has formed on the surface exposed to air. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that there also was what appeared to be orange rust underneath this substance.

Does anyone know what this substance could be and why it has formed. Balanced chemical equations would assist me in understanding what has happened.

Thanks.
 

someth1ng

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- Iron reacts with the acetic acid very slowly and releases H2 gas.
- Salt,Iron (II) Acetate, formed from the above reaction is highly soluble (all acetates are soluble) - I believe it is dark coloured (double check this).

Chemical Equation:
Fe(s) + 2CH3COOH(aq) --> Fe(CH3COO)2(aq) + H2(g)

- The other "rust" formed is probably just Iron(III) oxide.
- Formed due to dissolved oxygen in the water.

Chemical Equation:
4Fe(s) + 3O2(aq) --> 2Fe2O3(s)

This might have some information you want but I'm not entirely sure.
 
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thetoygang

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did you not read the fucking experiment. vinegar + nail = fanta.
 

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