Iron Essay, Research Paper
Iron
Fe
While my study on iron i found that iron is actually an important element. I always
thought of it as just a metal but it has many other uses. While reading this report you
will learn about these uses. You will also learn about Irons properties and where iron is
found.
Irons Facts And History
Irons symbol is Fe, It is a silvery white metal . Irons symbol comes from the latin word
ferrumThe atomic number of iron is 26; iron is one of the transition elements . Metallic
iron was used for weapons in prehistoric ages; the earliest specimen still not known, a
group of oxidized iron beads found in Egypt, dates back to about 4000 BC. The
beginnings of modern processing of iron can be traced back to central Europe in the
mid-14th century BC.
Irons Uses
Pure iron has limited use. Commercial iron contains small amounts of carbon and other
impurities that change its physical properties. By far the greatest amount of iron is used in
processed forms, such as wrought iron, cast iron, and steel. Commercially pure iron is
used for the production of galvanized sheet metal and of electromagnets. Iron compounds
are made for medical purposes in the treatment of anemia.
Where iron is found
Metallic iron occurs in only a few places one of these places is western Greenland. It is
found in meteorites, usually alloyed with nickel. Iron ranks fourth in abundance among all
the elements in the earth’s crust, next to aluminum it is the most abundant of all metals.
The ore of iron is hematite, which is mined in the United States in Minnesota, Michigan,
and Wisconsin. Other important ores are goethite, magnetite, siderite, and bog iron
(limonite). Pyrite, the sulfide ore of iron, is not processed as an iron ore because it is too
difficult to remove the sulfur.
Properties of Iron
Pure iron has a hardnes
magnetized at ordinary temperatures it is difficult to magnetize when heated, and at
about 790? C it is no longer magnetic. Pure iron melts at about 1535? C F and boils at
2750? C . The atomic weight of iron is 55.847.
The metal exists in three different forms: ordinary, alpha iron , gamma iron ,and delta
iron . The transition from a-iron to g-iron occurs at about 910? C ,and the transition
from g-iron to d-iron occurs at about 1400? C .The different physical properties of all
these forms and the difference in the amount of carbon taken up by each of the forms
plays an important part in the formation, hardening, and tempering of steel. Iron
combines with the halogens fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine, sulfur,
phosphorus, carbon, and silicon. When exposed to moist air, iron becomes corroded,
forming a reddish-brown, flaky, ferric oxide which we call rust.
Where iron is found
Metallic iron occurs in only a few places one of these places is western Greenland. It is
found in meteorites, usually alloyed with nickel. Iron ranks fourth in abundance among all
the elements in the earth’s crust, next to aluminum it is the most abundant of all metals.
The ore of iron is hematite, which is mined in the United States in Minnesota, Michigan,
and Wisconsin. Other important ores are goethite, magnetite, siderite, and bog iron
(limonite). Pyrite, the sulfide ore of iron, is not processed as an iron ore because it is too
difficult to remove the sulfur.
Here is A drawing of my elements structure.
Isotopes Half Life
Fe-52
8.3 hours
Fe-54
Stable
Fe-55
2.7 years
Fe-56
Stable
Fe-57
Stable
Fe-58
Stable
Fe-59
54.5 days
Fe-60
1500000.0 years