Practice Exam Questions And Correct

Cathodic Protection Technician Level 1 Practice Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

• What is the primary purpose of cathodic protection?

a) To increase corrosion rate

b) To reduce or prevent corrosion on a metal surface

c) To enhance electrical conductivity

d) To remove oxide films

Rationale: Cathodic protection works by making the protected metal

a cathode, which stops its corrosion.

• Which of the following metals is commonly used as a sacrificial anode?

a) Iron

b) Zinc

c) Copper 1 / 4

d) Nickel

Rationale: Zinc is often used because it has a more negative potential

than steel, making it effective as a sacrificial anode.

• The potential of a protected steel structure should be more negative

than:

• +0.25 V vs Cu/CuSO4
• -0.85 V vs Cu/CuSO4
• -0.65 V vs Ag/AgCl
• 0 V vs hydrogen electrode

Rationale: The NACE standard criterion for protection is -0.85 V vs

Cu/CuSO4 for steel in soil or water.

4. The reference electrode commonly used in soil measurements is:

a) Silver/silver chloride

b) Copper/copper sulfate

c) Calomel

d) Hydrogen

Rationale: The Cu/CuSO4 reference electrode is most commonly used

for soil potential measurements.

5. The unit of current density is:

a) Volt

b) Ohm

c) Ampere per square meter (A/m²)

d) Coulomb 2 / 4

Rationale: Current density is the current per unit area, typically

expressed in A/m².

• Which term describes the voltage difference between two points in a

circuit?

a) Resistance

b) Potential difference

c) Current

d) Power

Rationale: Potential difference, or voltage, is the driving force that

moves electrons between two points.

7. The most common electrolyte in buried structures is:

a) Air

b) Oil

c) Moist soil

d) Plastic coating

Rationale: Moist soil contains ions that conduct electricity, serving as

the electrolyte for buried structures.

8. The process of corrosion is best described as:

a) A mechanical failure

b) An electrical insulation breakdown

c) An electrochemical reaction

d) A magnetic interaction 3 / 4

Rationale: Corrosion involves electron transfer between anodic and

cathodic sites, making it electrochemical.

• What does CP stand for in corrosion control?

a) Controlled Pressure

b) Coating Protection

c) Cathodic Protection

d) Current Polarity

Rationale: CP stands for Cathodic Protection, a method to control

corrosion.

• Which of the following can act as a cathode in corrosion?

a) Metal losing electrons

b) Metal gaining electrons

c) Metal corroding

d) Metal oxidizing

Rationale: A cathode gains electrons, which prevents it from

corroding.

• What type of current is used in impressed current systems?

a) Alternating current

b) Direct current

c) Pulsed current

d) Static current

Rationale: Impressed current systems rely on DC to provide

continuous polarization of the structure.

• / 4