🔍 Key Concepts

• Purpose of corrosion inhibitors in cooling systems • Relationship between pH, hardness, and corrosion in water systems • How protective films or coatings prevent metal loss

💭 Think About

• Which option describes something that would actually prevent metal from being eaten away inside the cooling passages? • Do we usually fight corrosion by making water more acidic (low pH) or by keeping it closer to neutral/slightly alkaline? • Think about what happens to metal surfaces in contact with untreated water over time—what would you want the additive to do at that metal–water interface?

✅ Before You Answer

• Eliminate any choice that would increase corrosion risk instead of reduce it (for example, making water more acidic). • Ask: does this option directly address corrosion, or is it about temperature or water hardness only? • Focus on the choice that involves a barrier or conditioning of the metal surface rather than just changing bulk water properties.