Rust

Rust is the most inconvenient of the different types of oxidation. It forms when the iron atoms or atoms of other metals combine with the oxygen atoms. It creates it creates a new foundation called an oxide which damages and corrodes the metal. That is the mixture of iron oxides, aluminum oxides etc. with hydroxides. Most cars have a coat of a material called polyurethane paint that protects it rust; it actually forms a layer so that none of the oxygen or water can get to the metal. It acts like the skin on a fruit. There are other waterproof paints which protect things as well, but after the paint wears of it rusts very quickly because it is exposed to so much moisture and oxygen. You see a lot more rust when you are near the ocean because you there is so much moisture there and the salt accelerate the process. When rust forms on a metal it goes brown and starts to corrode it also heats up.

Some fruits and vegetables

Have you already left an apple out on the counter for about 10 minutes? Have you ever taken cut fruit in your lunch? If you have then you will know that the inside of the fruit goes brown and shrivels up. That’s because of oxidation. You see when you let a cut fruit come in contact with oxygen the oxygen molecules actually burn the cells in the fruit causing it to change color, lose moisture and shrivel up and corrode.

Copper

Have you seen the statue of liberty or the chateau Frontenac or the hotel Vancouver? These are all examples of the effect of oxidation on copper. The roofs of the chateau Frontenac and the hotel Vancouver and the entire statue of liberty were originally brown (the color of copper) but now have gone a light green turquoise color as you can see on the right. For certain buildings they actually pour acid on the copper to accelerate the process.

This is the statue of liberty,

 it is an example of the oxidation of copper.

It actually started out brown and turned turquoise

because it oxidized.