You rarely expose raw steel to the elements, unless itâs the weird kind that can build up a protective rusty coating. You usually paint it or dip-galvanize it or cadmium-plate it, and then it can last 50 years easy. Aluminum can be left out and it will be fine for 50 years, it will do better if painted or anodized.
Wicking is the absorption of a liquid by a material in the manner of a candle wick. Paper towels absorb liquid through capillary action, allowing a fluid to be transferred from a surface to the towel. The small pores of a sponge act as small capillaries, causing it to absorb a large amount of fluid.
Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing â it's a process by which water, sand, and chemicals are injected underground at very high pressures to crack open rock layers and release the oil or gas trapped inside.