Procedure:

1. Place each piece of steel wool into an open plastic container
2. Put one container outside in a place where it will be exposed to air and precipitation.
3. Place the other container inside
4. Draw and describe each sample and set up a chart to record your observations
5. Observe each piece of steel wool each day for a month and record your observations
6. At the end of the month compare the two samples and draw and describe the results.

Observation Questions :

1. Describe the changes you observed. The steel wool in the open cup that was placed outside started to rust. There was rain water in the cup.
2. Compare and contrast the two pieces of steel wool. The steel wool in the cup kept inside showed no sign of change. The steel wool left in the open cup began to show rust spots.

Analysis Questions:

1. What conditions do you think caused the differences between the two pieces of steel wool? The rain (students may give a more detailed explanation of oxidation)
2. What type of weathering did you observe? Chemical weathering - Oxidation Explain why. Parts of the thin treads of the steel wool rusted. Rust has a different chemical composition from steel. "Chemical weathering involves the complex processes that break down rock components and internal structure of minerals. During this transformation the original rock decomposes." In this lab the steel wool decomposed or fell apart leaving rust in the cup.
3. Which piece of steel wool would be the control in this experiment? The steel wool that was kept inside or the one in the cup with a cover on container Explain why.

Follow ups:

Place a third piece of steel wool in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid and place the closed container in the outside location. Check the steel wool in a month. Record the results.

Manipulate other variables like temperature, amount of moisture and observe any changes. (or repeat the experiment at different times of the year)