Which type of corrosion can occur due to dissimilar metals in contact?

Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are in electrical contact within an electrolyte, leading to corrosion of one of the metals, known as the anode, while the other metal, the cathode, is protected. This type of corrosion is driven by the differences in electrode potentials between the two metals, which can create a galvanic cell when moisture or an electrolyte is present.

In a galvanic couple, the more anodic metal (the one with a lower corrosion potential) will corrode preferentially, while the more cathodic metal (higher corrosion potential) is protected from corrosion. This phenomenon is critical in engineering applications, especially when considering the materials used in structures such as pipelines, marine applications, or when joining different metals in assemblies.

The incorrect options refer to other types of corrosion mechanisms: uniform corrosion involves the uniform loss of material over a large area and is not caused by contact with dissimilar metals; cavitational corrosion results from the formation and collapse of vapor bubbles in a liquid near a solid surface, also unrelated to dissimilar metal contact; and uniformity corrosion is not an established term in corrosion science. Understanding galvanic corrosion is crucial for preventing premature failures in metal components caused by material interactions.