Which outcome resulted from the early use of high-pressure steam in poorly-maintained Victorian-era boilers?

💡 Explanation

When high-pressure steam was used in early boilers, embrittlement of the metal could occur due to age and impurities, reducing its tensile strength which can lead to rapid crack propagation culminating in a catastrophic explosion. Therefore, a vessel rupture resulted, rather than creep, efficiency loss, or corrosion which require different conditions.

• Which outcome related to material failure arises in ancient Mesopotamian ziggurats when alkaline soil moisture permeates the brickwork?
• Which structural adaptation allowed Hagia Sophia's dome to surpass earlier Roman domes in diameter?
• Which outcome limited the expansion of terrace farming by Andean civilizations despite its agricultural benefits?
• Which outcome occurs when repeated thermal cycling weakens the copper-tin alloy in a historical bronze cannon?
• Which soil degradation risk increases when pre-Columbian terrace construction lacks sufficient drainage?
• Which risk increases due to soil instability in historical Andean terraced fields during prolonged intense rainfall?