What is Galvanizing?
[[File:Galvanized surface.jpg|thumb|Galvanized metal]] '''Galvanizing'''<ref>Named after [[Luigi Galvani]].</ref> is the coating of a [[metal]] with a more [[wikt:reactive|reactive]] metal to stop [[corrosion]]. Normally [[zinc]] is used to coat [[iron]]. The zinc coating corrodes instead of the iron, stopping the iron from corroding. Even if the zinc is scratched, it does not corrode. Metal corrodes after the [[paint]] is scratched. The zinc eventually corrodes all the way and then the iron starts corroding. Galvanizing can happen in two ways. There is hot dip galvanising, where the object is dipped in a pool of liquid zinc. This makes a thicker coating that lasts a long time. It does not have a shiny clean surface, though, so some people would not like it as much. There is also electro-galvanizing. This is the [[electroplating]] of zinc onto an object. It is shiny but thinner, so it does not last as long. ==Note== <references/> ==Related pages== *[[Electrolysis]] {{Chemistry-stub}} [[Category:Physical chemistry]] [[Category:Metallurgy]]