A plate of the steel hull of a ship develops a large crack when the ship strikes a reef. Analysis of the steel’s composition shows higher-than-normal levels of an element that could explain why the plate cracked instead of bending. Which element is most likely suspected?

Sulfur in steel can form brittle inclusions and reduce the steel’s ductility, making it more likely to crack rather than bend when struck. Therefore, the suspected element is sulfur, choice B. Nickel and chromium are commonly added to improve certain steel properties, while iron is the main component of steel.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.