Re: The rusting of iron

From: Dirk Bruere at Neopax (dirk_at_neopax.com)
Date: 06/03/04 

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 04:17:09 +0100

Steve Turner wrote:

> On 31 May 2004 20:51:24 -0700, farooq_w@hotmail.com (Mohammed Farooq)
> wrote:
>
>
>>Indeed the non-volatility of metal oxides is a valid point, but we
>>still smell something "metallic" in our hands after _touching_ an old
>>copper wire and an old rusted iron nail. Do you think that chemicals
>
>>from our skin (as someone earlier suggested in that thread) form
>
>>volatile compounds (N-, S-) with the metal which can be detected by
>>our nose? Though I personally do not thnk that.
>
>
> My belief is that the characteristic smell arises from the interaction
> of skin oils, proteins, sweat, (etc) with either the metal or
> impurities within the metal. I really don't have any idea what these
> reactions might be. This belief is based upon elimination of what I
> consider to be more improbable: smelling the oxide itself. Look at it
> this way: the rusted piece of metal itself does not smell.

That does not explain the smell of metal that have not been touched. 

-- 
Dirk
The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

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