What is galvanized steel?

• A. A type of steel coated with zinc to prevent rust.
• B. An alloy of steel and copper
• C. Steel treated with paint
• D. A type of stainless steel

Answer: (A)

Galvanized steel is steel that has a zinc coating to prevent rust. The zinc protects the steel in two ways: it acts as a barrier to moisture and oxygen, and it provides sacrificial protection—zinc corrodes instead of iron, so even if the coating is scratched, the exposed steel stays protected. This coating is usually applied by hot-dip galvanizing, dipping the steel into molten zinc to form a durable layer. This is different from simply painting steel, which can chip and expose metal, and from stainless steel, which resists rust because of its own alloy chemistry (not because of a zinc coating). It’s also not an alloy of steel with copper.