Home > Science Experiments > Chemical Energy - Experiment 1 - Rusting: Is the chemical reaction exothermic, endothermic, or neither?

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Experiment 1
Rusting: Is the chemical reaction exothermic, endothermic, or neither?

Purpose/Hypothesis

In this experiment, you will measure the heat energy released or absorbed by the chemical reaction of rusting, the transformation of iron and atmospheric oxygen into iron oxide. Before you begin, make an educated guess about the outcome of this experiment based on your knowledge of rusting. This educated guess, or prediction, is your hypothesisAn idea in the form of a statement that can be tested by observation and/or experiment.. A hypothesis should explain these things:

• the topic of the experiment
• the variable you will change
• the variable you will measure
• what you expect to happen

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1. Introduction
2. Experiment 1 - Rusting: Is the chemical reaction exothermic, endothermic, or neither?
3. Experiment 2 - Exothermic or Endothermic: Determining whether various chemical reactions are exothermic or endothermic
4. Design Your Own Experiment