Why does steel wool corrode if it is placed in an open conta

Why does steel wool corrode if it is placed in an open container of water for a week? Does the same thing happen if the container is closed? Explain. What does this result imply about the availability of reactants?

Solution

Chemical reaction between iron and oxygen, otherwise known as iron oxide, is called rust. Since steel wool and steel in general is largely made of iron, steel wool is prone to rust if it doesn\'t have a rustproof coating on it. The actual reaction that creates rust happens when two iron atoms mix with three oxygen atoms in water; the oxygen bonds to the metal, and a new compound is formed. So, when steel wool is kept in open water container for a week, rust will form on it.

Yes it will also happen if the container is closed but the reaction or rusting takes place slowly and it will take more than a week.

If reactants are more then reaction will happen quickly