======Burning Steel Wool Increases Its Mass======


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**Alternative titles:** Combustion of Steel Wool, Oxygen and Mass Change in Steel Wool
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Weigh a piece steel wool before burning and record its mass.  
  - Place a heat-resistant surface or in a fire-safe container.  
  - Ignite the steel wool using a flame or a battery (steel wool ignites easily when touched to both terminals of a 9V battery).  
  - Allow the steel wool to burn completely, observing the sparks and glowing effect.  
  - After it has cooled, reweigh the steel wool and compare the mass to the original measurement.



====Links==== 
Burning steel wool increases it's mass - DonoChem: 
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📄 Burning Steel Wool - The Wonder of Science: [[https://thewonderofscience.com/phenomenon/2018/7/8/burning-steel-wool]]\\


====Variations====
  * Try using different grades or thicknesses of steel wool to see if the reaction is more vigorous.
  * Compare the combustion of steel wool with the rusting of iron over time to link rapid and slow oxidation.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Safety glasses required.  
  * Perform in a well-ventilated area away from flammable materials.  
  * Use tongs or tweezers to handle steel wool to avoid burns.  
  * Allow burned steel wool to cool fully before touching or weighing.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does the mass of the steel wool increase after burning? (Because oxygen from the air combines with the iron to form iron oxide, adding mass.)  
  * Why might students predict a decrease in mass before the demonstration? (They may think mass is lost as smoke or fire, rather than gained from oxygen.)  
  * How is burning steel wool similar to rusting? (Both involve oxidation of iron, but rusting is a slower process.)  
  * What does this experiment demonstrate about the conservation of mass? (That mass is not lost during chemical reactions; it is redistributed and can increase when atoms from the air combine with the reactant.)