Steel is an alloy composed mainly of iron. When steel structures such as underground storage tanks are exposed to moist soil and oxygen, the iron undergoes corrosion, commonly known as rusting.
State the chemical name for rust.
Write the chemical formula for the anhydrous transition metal oxide that is the primary component of rust.
During the rusting process, iron atoms lose electrons to form iron ions. This loss of electrons is an example of which type of reaction? Select the correct option from the following list:
Sacrificial anodes are often attached to underground steel tanks to prevent them from corroding. Name one metal that is suitable to be used as a sacrificial anode for a steel tank.
Explain, in terms of reactivity and electrons, how this sacrificial metal protects the steel from corroding.
Other than sacrificial protection, different methods can be used to prevent steel from corroding by establishing a physical barrier. State two of these barrier methods.
