The reaction for rust is 4E + 302 = FE2O3. What type of change is the rusting or corrosion of iron?
A. Chemical
B. Physical
My answer choice: A
Your answer is correct. The rusting or corrosion of iron is a chemical change.
Explain your answer in 1-2 sentences.
The rusting or corrosion of iron involves a chemical reaction where iron reacts with oxygen in the presence of water to form iron oxide (Fe2O3), which is a different substance with new chemical properties. This indicates that a chemical change has occurred.
The rusting or corrosion of iron is indeed a chemical change.
When iron reacts with oxygen in the presence of water or moisture, it forms a compound known as iron(III) oxide, commonly referred to as rust. The chemical reaction is represented by the equation 4Fe + 3O2 → 2Fe2O3.
In a chemical change, the substances involved undergo a transformation at the molecular level, resulting in the formation of a new substance(s) with different properties. In the case of rusting, the iron combines with oxygen to form iron(III) oxide, which has different chemical properties than that of iron. Additionally, rusting is generally irreversible and cannot be easily reversed back to its original form.