explain corrosion

Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material

into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with

its surroundings. In the most common use of the word,

this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction

with an oxidant such as oxygen. Formation of an oxide of

iron due to oxidation of the iron atoms in solid solution is

a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion,

commonly known as rusting. This type of damage

typically produces oxide(s) and/or salt(s) of the original

metal. Corrosion can also refer to other materials than

metals, such as ceramics or polymers, although in this

context, the term degradation is more common.