Galvanic Corrosion

This is surprisingly fun!

Like seriously, I know my writing is pretty crappy and all but I'm already learning so much random stuff. One thing leads to another and then another and then another. Maybe I should have started doing this sooner.

Anyway something about my last post bothered me a little bit. I wrote something along the lines of "copper corroded iron". I literally had no idea what that meant. So I decided to look it up and guess what, it has to do with what we're covering in chem this unit!

Now I'm not the greatest at chemistry, but there is a process called Galvanic Corrosion. More or less two metals submerged in an electrolyte function as a galvanic or voltaic cell. What makes this important is that salt water functions rather effectively as an electrolyte. So in the case of copper sheathing, copper, iron, and salt water.

Based on my understanding of chemistry (not that much) the reaction goes something like this, where the iron is oxidized and the free electrons attach themselves to copper ions to form solid copper.

Cu²⁺ + 2e^- -> Cu               (cathode)
and
Fe + 2e^- = Fe²⁺                       (anode)

Except for this to be true in the situation of the British ships, then there must be random copper ions floating around in the water. My best guess is that water is able to oxidize solid copper to form  Cu²⁺. Of course, that's just my best guess and I have no idea if that is true or not. Be proud of me Mr. Grosse! Gosh if I was a chem teacher I would make all my real life examples really random history stuff that no one understands or should have any business knowing.I think that would be fun.