Why does distilled water cause a reaction to galvanized nails?
My daughter is doing a science fair project involving steel and galvanized nails. The galvanized nails in the distilled water are turning white after only 2 days. We are also using salt water, melted snow, tap water (ours happens to be from a well). If distilled water is purer than the others why is only the distilled causing a reaction?
Tagged with: Distilled Water • galvanized nails • google • salt water • science fair project • script type • tap water • text javascript
Filed under: Water Filters
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I would say it is because the water is so pure is the reason.
As the distilled water contains no metal ions it is leeching them from the nickel which the nail is galvanized in.
It’s the concept of diffusion. There is a high concentration of metal in the nail and a low concentration in the water so the water is extracting the metal from the nail to try to balance out the levels in each place.
Hope this helps.