NACE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield NACE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Electrochemical Noise (EN) monitoring detects corrosion by measuring: → Spontaneous fluctuations in potential and current that reveal corrosion mechanisms
2. Which coating defect appears as small, blister-like formations? → Blistering
3. Which standard is commonly used to specify abrasive blast cleaning of steel surfaces? → SSPC-SP 10/NACE No. 2.
4. A Zero Resistance Ammeter (ZRA) is used in corrosion monitoring to measure: → Galvanic current flowing between two dissimilar metals coupled together
5. According to the joint NACE/SSPC standards, which of the following surface preparation methods does NOT inherently create a surface profile? → NACE No. 5 / SSPC-SP 12, High-Pressure Waterjetting
6. What is a common mitigation strategy for hydrogen embrittlement in high-strength steels? → Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT).
7. Which test detects voids or discontinuities in a coating film? → Holiday detection (high-voltage or low-voltage spark tester).
8. When using a plural-component spray system to apply a fast-curing coating, what is the most critical factor to monitor to ensure proper material properties? → Accurate mixing ratio and proportioning
9. What NACE standard covers the inspection of coatings for atmospheric service? → NACE SP0188.
10. What is the typical material used for sacrificial anodes in seawater environments? → Zinc or aluminum alloys
11. A hydrogen probe is primarily used to detect which corrosion-related phenomenon? → Hydrogen permeation associated with hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) risk
12. For a corrosion cell to exist, which four elements must be present? → Anode, cathode, metallic pathway, and electrolyte
13. Which type of corrosion monitoring probe is best suited for use in non-conductive or low-water-cut hydrocarbon systems? → Electrical Resistance (ER) probe
14. Which of the following is the primary purpose of SSPC-SP 1, Solvent Cleaning? → To remove visible oil, grease, soil, and other soluble contaminants.
15. What is the primary purpose of cathodic protection in corrosion control? → To make the metal surface the cathode of an electrochemical cell
16. A steel pipeline is connected with brass fittings. In the presence of an electrolyte, which phenomenon is most likely to occur and why? → The steel pipeline will corrode because it is more anodic than brass.
17. What is the primary purpose of a corrosion coupon in a monitoring program? → To provide a direct mass-loss measurement of corrosion rate
18. What is a common anode material for impressed current CP systems? → Mixed Metal Oxide (MMO) anodes
19. When calculating corrosion rate from a corrosion coupon, which piece of data is NOT required for the standard calculation? → Ambient temperature during the exposure period
20. In an impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system, what is the primary function of the rectifier? → To convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).
21. What is the purpose of a DFT (Dry Film Thickness) gauge? → To check the cured coating thickness for compliance.
22. What is the main advantage of online corrosion monitoring over offline inspection methods? → Online monitoring provides continuous data without removing equipment from service
23. Which corrosion monitoring technique provides the fastest real-time corrosion rate measurement in electrochemically active systems? → Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR)
24. Ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurement is used in corrosion monitoring programs primarily to: → Track wall thickness reduction over time to calculate corrosion rate and remaining life
25. Electrical Resistance (ER) probes measure corrosion by detecting changes in which property? → The electrical resistance of a metal element as it loses cross-sectional area
26. Which instrument measures coating thickness non-destructively? → Coating thickness gauge
27. What is the minimum protective potential for steel in seawater according to NACE standards? → -0.80 V vs. CSE
28. In a risk-based corrosion monitoring program, monitoring locations are selected based primarily on: → Risk assessment combining probability of corrosion occurrence and consequence of failure
29. Which type of corrosion occurs due to differences in metal composition? → Galvanic corrosion
30. What is stray current corrosion and how can CP mitigate it? → Corrosion caused by external DC sources, mitigated by proper CP current distribution