burning steel wool in pure oxygen

The crazy part is even though the steel wool looks smaller, it actually weighs more than it started.

#steelwool #combustion #experiment

[johnford]

My students were always surprised that the steel wool gained weight when combusted. Great exercise. Nice video, thank you.

[scottfox]

I always find it weird that one of the most flammable elements (hydrogen) and a heavy oxidizer (oxygen) separated can start fires but combined into water, they extinguish them.

[andrewhaychemistry]

It usually blows pupil's minds if you show the gain in weight in real time by burning the wool while it's sitting on a balance that measures to 2 d.p.

[dreamervanroom]

It would’ve been much more interesting if you’d pumped air into the steel wall and compare that to the oxygen. I think it would do just as well.

[Intedencefer]

Are we going to talk about the fact that steel wool is flammable? Because that's the real news to me.

[Justin-etg]

I believe it, but how the heck can the same amount of material become heavier than it once was?

[fizzellll]

Is this a combustion reaction? Or an oxidation of Fe