Final answer:
Cathodic protection is the method of preventing corrosion by making the object to be protected act as a cathode in a galvanic cell, using a more reactive metal as a sacrificial anode.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of protecting a structure by turning the object to be protected into a cathode is called Cathodic protection. This method involves connecting the metal to be protected (such as iron storage tanks or pipes) to a more active metal, like zinc or magnesium, which acts as a sacrificial anode. The more active metal, with a lower reduction potential, will corrode in place of the iron, effectively protecting it by preventing its oxidation. By converting the object of interest into the cathode, it resists corrosion as it now participates in the galvanic cell as a site for reduction rather than oxidation, which occurs at the anode.