Do all metal strings rust and oxidize?
Virtually every metal has an associated oxide with it. An oxide is made whenever an oxygen atom molecularly bonds to a corresponding metal. In steel, oxygen bonds with the iron molecule. This creates iron oxide, commonly known as rust. For the bond to take place, an energy is needed to make the molecules come together. In some metals (i.e. iron) the amount of chemical energy needed to make an oxide is low. In other metals (i.e. gold), a higher chemical energy is needed to make an oxide.
