Answer:
To show that the narrator shares the fears of the characters in her story
Explanation:
Yes silver tarnish can easily be removed with polish
The answer to this is pathos
A simile can be found when using "like" or "as" between two things. Example: I'm as happy as a clown.
Your question would be a metaphor. Both things are being compared to a science expieriment, probably meaning that they need to have an outcome, but it isn't known for sure if it will be a good or bad outcome.
Things like this can be taken many ways, so if you think something else, I'm sure it would work as well.
Threats from neighboring places (hopeed this helped <3)