# The properties of rusting

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 29, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429 "2004-07-29T12:49:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![t0ilet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@t0ilet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t0ilet)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429/1 "2004-07-29T12:49:33Z")

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I have been thinking about rusting and how it properly works; including the equalibrium of rusting. I have, after serious thinking, havn’t really got any where in finding the answer to whether rusting is an Endothermic reaction, or an Exothermic. Please could you enlighten me on this one? 😕

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**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429/2 "2004-07-29T13:13:15Z")

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It’s exothermic. For more details:  
[http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/inorganic/faq/iron-reactions.shtml](http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/inorganic/faq/iron-reactions.shtml)  
Or Google - the web is full of texts on basic inorganic chemistry

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429/3 "2004-07-29T13:39:43Z")

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The exothermic reaction between iron and air provides the heat from chemical hand warmers. If you have some powdered iron, [you can make your own.](http://matse1.mse.uiuc.edu/~tw/metals/k.html)  
A flashier demonstration of the reaction involves briefly touching a 9 volt battery to a piece of fine steel wool. Sparks will fly, and the metal will burn red hot.

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**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-properties-of-rusting/257429/4 "2004-07-29T14:16:17Z")

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> [@Squink](#):
>
> A flashier demonstration of the reaction involves briefly touching a 9 volt battery to a piece of fine steel wool. Sparks will fly, and the metal will burn red hot.

I know what you mean, but that’s not really a proof. I can plug an electric radiator into a power point and it will burn red hot, but there’s no exothermic chemical reaction going on in the radiator.