Rust is a type of corrosion. It happens to metals when they are exposed to air or water for a long time.

Rust slowly breaks metals down into other chemicals, due to a reaction with the oxygen molecules. Air and Water both contain oxygen so they are usually what make metals rust. Almost all metals rust, but they can be protected from things that make them rust by painting them. Alloys (mixes of metals) such as stainless steel rust much slower than non-mixed metals like pure iron. When a piece of metal rusts, it changes to a different colour, (ex. iron turns red/brown) and the metal eventually falls apart. The control of corrosion may take place when metal is isolated from the rest of its environment, such as paint. In large structures, the process may include the use of a wax-based product (sometimes called a slushing oil), which is injected into sections of objects that poses concern. The oil often contains rust inhibiting chemicals that works to form a protective barrier. Chemically rust is the bonding of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or moisture in the air. The presence of salt in the water will greatly catalyse this reaction. Rust unlike most other metal oxides provides no real protection to the iron underneath it meaning with enough oxygen and water any iron mass has the potential to disintegrate by changing entirely into iron oxide. Steel is affected by rust as well as it is made almost entirely out of iron but stainless steel will not rust as it is made of 10.5% to 11% of chromium as when the steel starts to rust a protective layer of chromium oxide will form protecting the steel of any further damage.