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Q:
Do mirrors rust??????
- Kyle H.
Shorecliffs MiddleSchool, San Clemente, Ca.
A:
Some old ones do; the ones in my grandfather's house certainly show
some signs of rust. The reflective surfaces on mirrors are made up of
different things. Often, mirrors have a layer of aluminum on the back
side of a piece of glass -- this won't rust, but even aluminum
oxidizes. Some mirrors were "silvered" -- silver tarnishes. A thin
layer of tarnish may even produce a rather attractive effect to a
reflection, but too much and it gets dim. You might imagine that a
little handheld mirror for camping trips so you can shave might just be
made out of steel and may need a little polishing now and then.
Sometimes, even if a mirror cannot rust, the screws holding a
mirror up will rust, and their rust gets on the glass or otherwise
makes the mirror look less than perfect.
Tom
(published on 10/22/2007)
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