Final answer:
Increased resistance to stress corrosion cracking can be achieved by coating the metal with a more reactive metal such as zinc through galvanization, creating protective layers on surfaces, or using cathodic protection with a more reactive metal.
Step-by-step explanation:
One way of obtaining increased resistance to stress corrosion cracking is by employing the galvanization method. This involves coating iron or similar metals with a thin layer of zinc, which is more easily oxidized. Galvanization protects the base metal by sacrificially corroding in place of the protected metal.
An example of this in everyday objects is the 'tin can,' which actually consists of an iron container coated with a thin layer of tin. This tin layer prevents corrosion by forming a protective oxide layer, which restricts access to oxygen and water. Another common method is alloying, where a metal such as iron is combined with other elements, like chromium. This creates stainless steel, which resists corrosion through the formation of a protective oxide layer.
Cathodic protection is another technique used, where more reactive metals like zinc or magnesium are attached to the iron. They corrode in preference to the iron, offering protection. Anodization of metals like aluminum also increases their resistance to corrosion through the formation of a strong oxide layer on the surface.