Corrosion (rust) is an electrochemical process. This means that chemical reactions take place through the exchange of electrons which cause rust.
Under normal conditions, the steel of your car or truck contains a mass of Iron Atoms, Impurity Atoms and Free Electrons. By nature, the Iron Atoms have a positive charge (+) of about +1 volt compared to the Impurity Atoms. Thus, the Impurity Atoms have a negative charge (-) compared to the Iron Atoms.
Because the Iron Atoms have a higher voltage, there is an attraction of the free electrons from the Impurity Atoms (positive attracts negative).
As soon as there is water (moisture) on your car or truck, the water becomes the path for the free electrons to travel from the Impurity Atoms (-) and attack the Iron Atoms (+) in the steel; this reaction is called oxidization (rust).
Along coastal and surrounding areas, there is a high salt content in the air due to the sea. When the salt mixes with water (moisture), the water becomes more conductive. This allows the free electrons to travel through the water more easily, intensifying the rusting process. The same situation occurs in areas where salt is used to melt icy roads.
To simplify the equation, there needs to bewater and free electrons present for rust formation to occur.
STEEL + WATER + FREE ELECTRONS = RUST
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