The process of coating steel with zinc is called

• A. Tin plating
• B. Galvanizing
• C. Zincing
• D. Zinkcoat

Answer: (B)

Galvanizing is the process of coating steel with zinc. This coating protects the steel by two mechanisms: it acts as a barrier to moisture and oxygen, and it also serves as a sacrificial anode, meaning zinc corrodes in place of the iron. In hot-dip galvanizing, steel parts are submerged in molten zinc to form a durable coating, while electrogalvanizing uses electrical current to deposit zinc. The result is superior corrosion resistance, which is why galvanizing is widely used for metal structures, fasteners, and other steel products. The other terms—tin plating, zincing, and zinkcoat—refer to different processes or nonstandard names and do not describe the zinc-coated steel process.