Name three primary corrosion control strategies.

• A. Material selection; Protective coatings; Cathodic protection
• B. Material selection only
• C. Coatings only
• D. Cathodic protection only

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that preventing corrosion relies on using multiple complementary approaches, not just one. The three primary strategies are material selection, protective coatings, and cathodic protection. Material selection means choosing alloys or materials that are inherently more resistant to the specific environment, so they tend to corrode more slowly. Protective coatings create a barrier between the metal and its surroundings, reducing the contact with moisture, oxygen, salts, and other corrosive agents. Cathodic protection works by altering the metal’s electrochemical potential—either with sacrificial anodes or with an impressed current—so the metal becomes less prone to oxidation. Each strategy tackles corrosion from a different angle: design for durability, isolate the metal, and control the electrochemical conditions. The other options are incomplete because they mention only a single strategy, leaving other pathways for corrosion unaddressed.