What is the purpose of routing in pit assessment?

• A. Coat the surface to prevent further corrosion
• B. Measure weight loss after etching
• C. Remove material to reveal pits and allow measurement
• D. Polish the surface for visual inspection

Answer: (C)

Routing removes a thin, defined layer from the surface so any hidden pits beneath corrosion products, oxides, or surface roughness become visible for measurement. By exposing the pit mouths and the true depths and shapes, you can obtain accurate and comparable pit data across samples. The depth of material removed is usually specified to keep measurements consistent. Coating the surface would conceal pits, weight loss after etching is a different assessment method, and polishing would smooth away or obscure pit features, reducing measurement accuracy.