What type of corrosion occurs when different metals are in contact with each other and exposed to an electrolyte?

Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are in contact with each other in the presence of an electrolyte, leading to an electrochemical reaction. In this scenario, one metal becomes the anode and corrodes, while the other metal acts as the cathode and is protected from corrosion. The corrosion rate is affected by the relative positions of the metals in the galvanic series; the further apart they are, the more severe the corrosion of the anode will be.

Pitting corrosion is characterized by the formation of small, localized pits on a metal surface, which can happen due to localized breakdown of the protective oxide layer, but it does not specifically involve dissimilar metals. Uniform corrosion results in a consistent, even deterioration of the metal surface and does not concern the interaction between different metals. Creeping corrosion is a less common term that might refer to slow, progressive corrosion and is not specifically defined in relation to the type of contact between metals as galvanic corrosion is. Thus, the context and mechanisms of galvanic corrosion make it the correct choice for this question.