What is electroplating?

What is electroplating?

• A. A method of painting metal surfaces.
• B. The diffusion of zinc into steel.
• C. The process of transferring metal from one object to another by chemical and electrical means.
• D. The mechanical cleaning of rust.

Answer: (C)

Electroplating is the process of transferring metal from one object to another by chemical and electrical means. In this process, the item to be plated becomes the cathode and a piece of the plating metal acts as the anode; both are immersed in an electrolyte containing ions of the plating metal. When current is applied, metal ions are reduced at the cathode and deposit as a thin coating on the surface. This coating improves corrosion resistance, wear resistance, or appearance and is common on aircraft components for protection and longevity. The other options describe different ideas: painting coats a surface without metal deposition; diffusion of zinc into steel is a metallurgical diffusion process rather than plating from solution; and mechanical rust cleaning removes rust without depositing metal.

Electroplating is the process of transferring metal from one object to another by chemical and electrical means. In this process, the item to be plated becomes the cathode and a piece of the plating metal acts as the anode; both are immersed in an electrolyte containing ions of the plating metal. When current is applied, metal ions are reduced at the cathode and deposit as a thin coating on the surface. This coating improves corrosion resistance, wear resistance, or appearance and is common on aircraft components for protection and longevity. The other options describe different ideas: painting coats a surface without metal deposition; diffusion of zinc into steel is a metallurgical diffusion process rather than plating from solution; and mechanical rust cleaning removes rust without depositing metal.