BURN STEEL WOOL

We demonstrate the simple combustive oxidation of iron by burning a common household item: Steel wool.

Normally we do not think of iron as being flammable, this is because bulk iron doesn't self-sustain its burning like most flammable materials. But the strands of steel wool are thin enough with enough surface area that heat produced is self-sustaining and will continue to burn through if there is enough air present.

To do this, simply pull apart and fluff up the steel wool to separate the strands. Then simply set it on fire. The steel wool should then burn flamelessly creating iron oxide.

You can also use a 9-volt battery and short out the terminals across the steel wool, the resistive heating should be hot enough to start it lit.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Iron
• steel
• wool
• oxidation
• combustion
• chemistry

[PaperSoapy]

the 48 dislikes come from people who think steel wool comes from steel sheep.

[PickyMcCritical]

Did anyone play Silicon Valley for the 64?

[theliberator1]

forming iron oxide you said?

So would the resulting material be usable in a thermite reaction?

[lakloplak]

@diegonikki You got it! :D

[diegonikki]

@lakloplak it dos because a ton of iron becomes 2 tons of rust it gets 2x hevier of all is oxidized

[lakloplak]

If you burn steel wool It gets heavier... Check and confirm!

[inspectorcritic]

Some of the 000 steel wool you can just rub it together and it will ignite.

[itssuperninja]

tape it on a cloths hanger somehow and then spin it you will get a HUGE spark display

[BillyBishopfighter]

as ive learnt during my survival training, a the positive and negative end of a battery gets in contact with steel wool, it can actually create a campfire

[poptya]

Where did you get the torch? Im looking into buying a compact torch with the highest heat output

[aei05h1]

@PickyMcCritical Yup, awesome game!

[luishomeroremohsiul]

the nurdrage channel BEGS for a high speed camera... pretty please? :)