Corrosion in Motion Golden Gate Bridge

Doncha just love student project videos?

At least it looks like these kids might actually have been at the Golden Gate Bridge for some of their filming. And while their special effects aren't exactly on a professional level just yet, they gave the monster attacks, earthquakes, and explosions a good, college (or high school) try.

They do a decent job explaining why the iron oxidizes, including a pretty thorough writing of the chemical reaction of the rusting of iron. They also show a cross-section of what galvanizing layers look like and what reactions work within the galvanizing.

The video does end a bit abruptly, but it's not a bad effort. I'd be impressed if my students produced this video. Maybe this'll be something to work toward for next year.

Tempering Process

I've had a few former students sell Cutco Knives. I did end up buying a couple of knives from the first student because I had pitty on his 'cutting the rope' demonstration. In the long run, I haven't been impressed with the knives.

That all being said, I do use this video in my class to show quenching and tempering. It's a great show of those techniques.

Annealing Metal

Yeah, but how do you get the bracelet to be the right shape and size?

Do you actually wrap the cooled, annealed metal around your wrist, or is there some sort of mandrill that you use as an arm stand-in?

And how do you get the pretty, peened appearance on the surface of the bracelet?

I have so many questions - because I pretty much understand that annealing the metal makes it more workable (while admittedly, developing some pretty nasty scale).

Crystal Birth

No voice-over, no explanation, just pretty videos of reduced metal crystals growing from the application of an electric current to a metallic ion solution set to music.

But they're really pretty.