I’ve heard that when you strike flint with steel, the flint shaves off small pieces of the steel and that’s what makes a spark, but even if that is true I don’t understand how shaved steel makes sparks.
In: Physics
Metal is very reactive with oxygen. Most quickly develop an oxide layer that prevents it from reacting with oxygen. Striking steel creates raw iron that reacts with oxygen in the form of energy released as heat.
I forget the exact process behind it but larger chunks of metal have a much harder time combining with oxygen, hence forming the oxide layer instead of combusting.
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