The decay of metals as they combine with oxygen is known as what type of corrosion?

• A. Oxidation
• B. Electrochemical Corrosion
• C. Uniform Corrosion
• D. Metal Corrosion

Answer: (D)

Oxidation is the chemical reaction where metal atoms lose electrons and bond with oxygen to form metal oxides. When metals decay by reacting with oxygen, this specific reaction is called oxidation. The broader term corrosion can involve electrochemical processes, or describe the pattern of attack (uniform corrosion), or simply denote metal deterioration in general. But the precise reaction with oxygen is oxidation, making it the best choice for describing this scenario.