When iron is rusted, it is

Options

A. reduced
B. oxidised
C. evaporated
D. decomposed

Explanation

To determine what happens to iron when it rusts, we can analyze the chemical processes involved in rusting. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Understanding Rusting
Rusting is a chemical process that occurs when iron reacts with oxygen and moisture in the environment. The primary product of rusting is iron(III) oxide, commonly known as rust.

### Step 2: Identifying the Oxidation and Reduction Processes
During rusting, iron undergoes oxidation. Oxidation is defined as the loss of electrons.

- The oxidation half-reaction for iron can be represented as:
\[ \text{Fe (s)} \rightarrow \text{Fe}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \]
Here, solid iron (Fe) loses two electrons to form ferrous ions (Fe²⁺).

### Step 3: The Role of Oxygen and Water
In the presence of oxygen and water, the ferrous ions (Fe²⁺) can further react to form ferric ions (Fe³⁺). The reduction half-reaction involves the reduction of oxygen:
- The reduction half-reaction can be represented as:
\[ 4\text{H}^+ + 4e^{-} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]

### Step 4: Overall Reaction
Combining the oxidation and reduction half-reactions gives the overall reaction for rust formation:
\[ 2\text{Fe (s)} + 4\text{H}^+ + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{Fe}^{3+} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]
From this, we can see that iron is oxidized from Fe (0 oxidation state) to Fe²⁺ and then to Fe³⁺.

### Step 5: Conclusion
Since iron loses electrons during the rusting process, it is classified as being oxidized. Therefore, the correct answer to the question "When iron is rusted, it is:" is **Option 2: oxidized**.

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