Which degradation process limited axehead lifespan of early bronze axes in Mesopotamia following river water immersion?

💡 Explanation

When bronze axes are submerged in water, especially river water containing dissolved oxygen, oxidizing corrosion occurs because bronze contains copper which reacts with oxygen, accelerating crack propagation within the bronze microstructure. Oxidizing corrosion therefore results, rather than dezincification, eutectic phase transformation, or galvanic corrosion which require dissimilar metals in close proximity.

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