360Science™: Explore Redox with Iron Corrosion

Students explore corrosion of iron nails to learn about redox reactions. The corrosion of several iron nails will be subjected to conditions that promote or prevent the corrosion of iron in an indicator agar mixture. From the reaction of iron, oxygen and water, the products Fe²⁺ and OH^– indicate that changes in electron states have occurred in the presence of phenolphthalein and potassium ferricyanide.