Final answer:
To prevent steel degradation, it's common to either apply a metal coating with high oxidation resistance, such as chromium or tin, or to galvanize the steel with a zinc layer. These methods protect against corrosion by creating protective barriers or acting as sacrificial metals.
Step-by-step explanation:
To prevent steel degradation, two effective methods are commonly used:
- Prophylactic Protection: Applying a protective coating of a metal that is more difficult to oxidize, such as chromium or tin, can prevent oxygen and water from reaching the steel surface. These metals form protective oxide coatings that protect the underlying steel from corrosion.
- Galvanization: Coating steel with a layer of a more readily oxidized metal, typically zinc, prevents the steel from corroding. Even if the zinc layer is damaged, the steel can remain protected due to cathodic protection where the zinc acts as a "sacrificial" metal.
Other strategies include keeping the metal painted and alloying it with other metals, like in the case of stainless steel which contains chromium and forms a protective oxide layer, or using zinc-plated or galvanized iron.