Corrosion happens when metals react with substances in their environment, and some everyday materials speed up that breakdown. In this experiment, metal sheets exposed to eggs, Clorox, and shaving cream showed the worst damage because those substances trigger faster chemical reactions with the metal surface. A polymer sealant slowed the process, but certain corrosives still broke through the protective layer over four weeks.

Aluminum normally resists chemical breakdown, but heat changes that. In this experiment, aluminum plates sit in beakers of salt and ferric chloride solution at temperatures ranging from 25 to 85 degrees Celsius, held steady on hotplates for five days. The plates stored below 70 degrees come out clean. At 70 and 85 degrees, visible corrosion appears on the surface — showing that temperature controls how fast the reaction moves forward. When heat combines with salt, aluminum's natural resistance breaks down.

Some metals rust quickly while others stay shiny for years — and the liquid they sit in matters too. In this project, small squares of copper, aluminum, iron, and zinc are each placed in tap water, salt water, or lime juice for two days. After two days, you check each piece for surface damage. Not all metals react the same way: their surfaces resist chemical breakdown differently depending on both the metal and the liquid. Only one metal comes out completely clean across all three liquids.