Asked by julie
A plate of the steel hull of a ship develops a large crack when the ship strikes a reef. Analysis of the steel’s composition shows higher-than-normal levels of an element that could explain why the plate cracked instead of bending.
Which element is most likely suspected?
iron
sulfur
chromium
nickel
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Sulfur.
Elevated sulfur in steel forms sulfide inclusions (FeS/MnS) and segregates to grain boundaries, promoting brittleness and crack initiation so the plate fractures instead of deforming.
Elevated sulfur in steel forms sulfide inclusions (FeS/MnS) and segregates to grain boundaries, promoting brittleness and crack initiation so the plate fractures instead of deforming.
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