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Corrosion as Unwanted Spontaneous Oxidation

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State

Corrosion is the unwanted spontaneous oxidation of a metal by its environment, the same galvanic mechanism already built, operating without any intentional circuit design.

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Iron exposed to moist air oxidizes spontaneously to rust, an electrochemical process rather than a direct reaction with oxygen alone.

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Students often assume dry iron rusts as readily as wet iron, missing water's electrochemical role.