How Does Rust vs Corrosion: The Science of Metal Decay Work?

Rust is like when metal gets sick and turns red, just like when you get a boo-boo and it turns pink.

Metal is strong, but it’s not perfect, sometimes it gets corrosion, which is like the cold that makes it weak. Rust is one kind of corrosion, and it happens mostly to iron or steel, which are types of metal you see in things like bikes, cars, and even your school's playground swings.

Imagine you're playing outside on a rainy day, the water soaks through your clothes and makes them wet. That’s kind of what happens to metal when it gets wet and oxygen from the air comes in contact with it. The metal starts to change, it goes from being strong and shiny to weak and rusty.

Sometimes we put a coat on metal, like how you might wear a raincoat when it's raining. This coat can be paint or something else that stops the water and oxygen from getting in touch with the metal. That way, the metal stays healthy for longer, no more pink boo-boos!

So next time you see a rusty bike, think of it as a metal that didn’t get its raincoat on.