A shipbuilding company in South Korea attaches blocks of zinc to the steel hull of a new cargo vessel. Which statement explains why this method prevents the steel from rusting?

Q: How do I try a free CIE Chemistry question?

Just tap any of the four options on this page — no signup, no card, nothing to install. You'll see the correct answer and a full mark-scheme-style explanation within a second. Each visit shows a fresh randomly-picked question from the live CIE IGCSE Chemistry bank, so you can keep refreshing to try different ones before deciding whether to create a free account for daily access.

Q: Is Kramizo really free for CIE Chemistry students?

Yes — completely free. Every student gets 45 questions a day on the free plan, across any board and any subject, with no card required and no trial countdown. Kramizo's optional Pro plan removes the daily cap and adds analytics, but the free plan is genuinely free forever. We make money from the small percentage of students who choose to upgrade — not from selling data or ads.

Q: Are the Chemistry questions aligned to the CIE IGCSE syllabus?

Every question is written against the published CIE IGCSE Chemistry syllabus and reviewed for accuracy before being added to the bank. We match the command words (state, describe, explain, evaluate), mark allocations, and difficulty tier you'll see on real CIE past papers. Explanations are written in the style of official examiner mark schemes so students learn exactly what marks are being awarded for.

Question

A shipbuilding company in South Korea attaches blocks of zinc to the steel hull of a new cargo vessel. Which statement explains why this method prevents the steel from rusting?

Accepted Answer

Zinc is more reactive than iron and oxidises preferentially. — Award 1 mark for understanding sacrificial protection. A is incorrect — the zinc blocks do not form a complete barrier. C is incorrect — the protection is electrochemical, not due to zinc hydroxide formation. D is incorrect — zinc does not neutralise seawater.

Answer

Zinc acts as a barrier to keep water away from the steel.

Answer

Zinc reacts with water to form a protective layer of zinc hydroxide.

Answer

Zinc neutralises the acidic seawater around the hull.

Answer

Zinc is more reactive than iron and oxidises preferentially.

One real Chemistry question.No signup. 30 seconds.

One real Chemistry question.
No signup. 30 seconds.