An aluminum lifeboat is subject to damage by ___ if iron or steel tools are left lying in or near the boat.

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Multiple Choice

An aluminum lifeboat is subject to damage by ___ if iron or steel tools are left lying in or near the boat.

When two different metals are in contact in an electrolyte, like seawater, they form a tiny electrochemical cell. Aluminum is more anodic than iron or steel, so in this setup the aluminum acts as the anode and tends to dissolve, while the iron or steel acts as the cathode. The result is accelerated material loss from the aluminum due to the electrochemical reactions sparked by the electrolyte—this is electrolytic corrosion. Rust would occur on iron, not aluminum, and abrasion is physical wear, not the chemical corrosion driven by the metal-to-metal electrical interaction.

When two different metals are in contact in an electrolyte, like seawater, they form a tiny electrochemical cell. Aluminum is more anodic than iron or steel, so in this setup the aluminum acts as the anode and tends to dissolve, while the iron or steel acts as the cathode. The result is accelerated material loss from the aluminum due to the electrochemical reactions sparked by the electrolyte—this is electrolytic corrosion. Rust would occur on iron, not aluminum, and abrasion is physical wear, not the chemical corrosion driven by the metal-to-metal electrical interaction.

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