Burning Steel Wool with a 9 Volt Battery

Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely

Categories: Combustion, Electricity, Heat

Alternative titles: Steel Wool Fireworks Experiment

Summary

In this experiment, fine-grade steel wool is ignited using a 9-volt battery. When the steel fibers complete the circuit, they heat up and react with oxygen in the air, producing glowing sparks and forming iron oxide. This demonstrates that metals, like iron, can burn under the right conditions.

Procedure

Place a small amount of fine-grade steel wool (00 or 000) in a disposable metal baking pan.
Gently pull the steel wool apart so the fibers are loosely spread.
Touch both terminals of a 9-volt battery to the steel wool at the same time.
Observe as sparks spread through the steel wool, making it glow and burn like tiny fireworks.
Allow the reaction to finish. The fire will go out on its own once the steel wool is consumed.

Links

Steel wool and 9 volt battery Experiment - Kids Fun Science:

Survival- Starting a Fire with Steel Wool & 9V Battery! - The Outsider:

Variations

Try coarse vs. fine steel wool to compare how easily they ignite.
Test with different metals (like aluminum foil) to see whether they burn as easily.

Safety Precautions

Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from sparks.
Perform the experiment in a metal baking dish or pie pan to contain the fire.
Only use small amounts of steel wool at a time.
Do not attempt outdoors on a windy day, as burning particles can blow away.
Keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution.
Only older children or teens should attempt this experiment under direct adult supervision.

Questions to Consider

Why does steel wool burn but a solid piece of iron doesn’t? (The thin strands have a high surface area exposed to oxygen, making combustion possible.)
What chemical reaction is happening here? (Iron reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide, releasing heat and light.)
Why is fine steel wool better for this experiment than coarse steel wool? (Fine strands heat up more quickly and ignite more easily because of greater surface area.)
How is this similar to the metals used in fireworks? (Fireworks rely on burning metals like magnesium, aluminum, and iron to produce sparks and colors.)