Steel Filter

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Will soft drinks dissolve a steel nail? By: Alexis Arms Abstract Is a can of soda strong enough to dissolve a steel nail in only four days? The purpose of this experiment is to test whether phosphoric acid, found in soda, can dissolve a nail or if it’s just a fictitious story. The reason I was interested in this topic is because my father once told me that the phosphoric acid in a can of soda was strong enough to dissolve a steel nail. I searched for answers on the internet but found out that people were on both sides of the fence. The only way to find out the real answer was to test it myself. I started with nine, 1″ steel nails. I went to my local super market and bought seven different types of soda. I labeled each of the seven…show more content…
Besides sugar and caffeine, phosphoric acid is a major component found in soda. What is phosphoric acid and why is it in our carbonated drinks? Phosphoric acid is a clear colorless liquid produced from the phosphorous mineral that is found in every cell of the body. Phosphoric acid gives cola it’s ‘bite’, just like the citric acid found in lemons. For this reason, manufactures use the acid to give their drinks a bitter tartness that many consumers look for. My problem was; “Will soft drinks dissolve a steel nail?” My hypothesis was; “If a nail was placed in a container and filled with soda for four days, it would dissolve.” I choose this topic because my father constantly tells me random facts and he told me that the nail would dissolve after four days of being submerged. I hope to learn if the nail actually does dissolve or if my dad is wrong for once. My independent variable was the type of nail I used. My dependent variable was the types of soda I used. My control was the ninth nail placed in a container without any liquids.

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