What Is The Chemical Process Of Rusting In Red Soil?

1. 80

   ngurecoposted 14 years ago

   What Is The Chemical Process Of Rusting In Red Soil?

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2. 69

   bigmikehposted 14 years ago

   Usually it is just as you say - rusting. Soils with a high iron content go red with rust when they're wet.

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3. 58

   Sexy jontyposted 14 years ago

   It's just coming to contact with oxygen ....
   That leads rusts in red soil ....

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4. 67

   johnsamsposted 13 years ago

   Iron oxides are responsible for the color in red soil. It is possible to trace the reactions of iron from the time it is released from rock. Iron olivine is a good example of a rock which contains iron. This iron can be released due to environmental conditions.
   
   Weathering of iron olivine leads to hydrolysis yielding iron oxide and silicic acid: Fe2SiO4 + 2HOH --> 2FeO + H4SiO4
   
   
   Both of these products are somewhat soluble and can be lost be leaching. However, in the presence of free oxygen, and when moisture and temperature conditions are favorable for chemical activity, the iron in the soil minerals is oxidized and hydrated into red and yellow compounds.
   
   The iron oxide (FeO) is oxidized to only slightly soluble iron oxides such as Fe 2O3 or its hydrated counterpart Fe2O3 ! xH2O (the x indicates that the quantity of associated water can vary).
   
   This is oxidation reaction:  4FeO  + O2 --> 2Fe2O3
   
   Because of the extremely low solubility of these iron oxides, very little of the iron is lost. This results in a characteristic red color of the soil where the reaction occurs.

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