What Is the Mysterious Liquid Produced When Steel Is Mixed with Vinegar?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the chemical reaction that occurs when steel is mixed with vinegar, specifically focusing on the properties and identity of the resulting liquid, which is described as deep red with orange particles. Participants explore potential chemical compounds formed during the reaction and their characteristics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the resulting liquid as deep red and questions whether it is Fe2O3, also inquiring about the magnetic properties of Fe2O3.
  • Another participant asks about the conditions of the reaction, such as whether the steel was submerged or exposed to air, and whether the red liquid is a solution or a suspension.
  • This participant suggests that the iron in the steel likely reacted with acetic acid to form Iron Acetate, referencing various forms of iron acetate and their colors.
  • A third participant notes that the liquid changed from orange to blood red as particles settled, indicating a change in composition or concentration over time.
  • Another participant proposes experimental methods to analyze the liquid, suggesting the precipitation of iron compounds to identify the ions present, including the possibility of forming Iron Hydroxide and converting it to Iron Oxide.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various hypotheses regarding the identity of the liquid and the compounds formed, with no consensus reached on the exact nature of the liquid or the specific reactions occurring.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various potential compounds and reactions, but the discussion does not resolve the uncertainty surrounding the specific chemical processes involved or the definitive identity of the liquid.

JGM_14
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I mixed steel with vinegar and what resulted was a deep red liquid and some orange particles at the bottom. What is this liquid? Is it Fe2O3? If not then what, and is Fe2O3 magnetic?
 
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Was the steel totally submerged in the liquid, or was it exposed to air too?

Is the red liquid a solution or suspension? Are there just red particles floating around in the liquid which will eventually settle if left undisturned, or is the liquid itself red?

I suspect the Iron in the steel reacted with the acetic acid (vinegar) and formed Iron Acetate. According to my CRC book, "Iron (III) Acetate, Basic" FeOH(C2H3O2)2 is brown/red in solid form (but this is insoluble in water), and according to wikipedia, Iron (II) Acetate forms a light-green tetrahyrate, so these might be contributing to the color of the liquid.
And it is also possible for some Fe2O3 (non-magnetic) to have formed as well, which is also reddish brown, but will not dissolve in solution, it will settle out after a while.
 
It was brown after the liquid evaporated off but the liquid was orange then some light orange particles settled to the bottom and the liquid became almost blood red.
 
How badly do you want to know what the liquid (or rather, what is dissolved in the liquid) is?
You could start precipitating out various compounds to analyze. For example, there is likely some Fe+? (Likely Fe+2) ions in solution, you could add some Sodium Hydroxide and precipitate out Iron Hydroxide. Iron Hydroxide is quite easy to convert to Iron Oxide through heating. Based on its color and magnetic properties you could figure out of it is Fe2O3 or Fe3O4 (or FeO). You could also try to oxidize or reduce whatever is in solution with a strong oxidizing/reducing agent (Potassium Permanganate for example, or Aluminum/Zinc). There are various "games" you can play to try to identify what ions are present in the solution. Of course you would want to perform all these tests separately on smaller samples, to avoid contaminating your stock of mystery liquid.
 

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