`Zn` acts as sacrifical or cathodic protecion to prevent rusting of iron because

Options

A. `E^(c-)._(OP)` of `ZnltE^(c-)._(OP)` of `Fe`
B. `E^(c-)._(OP)` of `ZngtE^(c-)._(OP)` of `Fe`
C. `E^(c-)._(OP)` of `Zn=E^(c-)._(OP)` of `Fe`
D. `Zn` is cheaper than iron

Explanation

To understand why zinc acts as sacrificial or cathodic protection to prevent rusting of iron, we can break down the explanation into a series of logical steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Rusting**:
- Rusting of iron is an electrochemical process where iron (Fe) is oxidized to iron ions (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺) in the presence of moisture and oxygen. This leads to the formation of rust (hydrated iron(III) oxide).

2. **Electrochemical Series**:
- The electrochemical series ranks metals based on their standard electrode potentials. Metals higher in the series have a greater tendency to lose electrons (oxidize) compared to those lower in the series.

3. **Position of Zinc and Iron**:
- In the electrochemical series, zinc (Zn) is placed above iron (Fe). This indicates that zinc has a higher oxidation potential than iron. Therefore, zinc is more likely to oxidize than iron.

4. **Sacrificial Protection Mechanism**:
- When zinc is in contact with iron, zinc will oxidize preferentially. This means that zinc will lose electrons and form Zn²⁺ ions before iron can oxidize. As a result, iron remains protected from rusting.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since zinc has a higher oxidation potential than iron, it acts as a sacrificial anode. It gets oxidized (sacrificed) to protect the iron from rusting. Thus, the correct reason for zinc's effectiveness in preventing rusting is that the oxidation potential of zinc is higher than that of iron.

### Final Answer:
Zinc acts as sacrificial or cathodic protection to prevent rusting of iron because the oxidation potential of zinc is higher than that of iron.

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