Iron
Iron is a metallic chemical element, found in the eighth
group of the periodic table, and it is the most widely used metal, and it
constitutes 5% of the earth’s crust,[1] and it is the most abundant metal, and
it is a brittle hard substance, iron erodes in its pure form According to the
Jefferson Lab, it is vital for the survival of living organisms, and it plays
an important role in the production of chlorophyll in plants, which is a
component of hemoglobin in the blood, a protein in the blood, which It works to
transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body.[2]
Scientific information about iron
Some scientific information about iron:[2]
Atomic number: 26.
Atomic symbol in the periodic table of the elements: Fe.
Atomic weight: 55.845.
Density: 7.874 g/cm3.
Melting point: 1.538 ° C.
Boiling point: 2.861 ° C.
Number of isotopes: 33
Stable isotopes: 4.
The most common isotope: iron 56.
Iron element properties
Iron has many of its own characteristics that define its
identity, namely: [3]
1.
It has an atomic number of 26,
which expresses the number of electrons contained in a single iron atom.
2.
It exists in the solid state at
room temperature.
3.
It has a boiling point of
approximately 3,133 K.
4.
Iron has 14 isotopes.
5.
It has a density of 7.87 grams per
cubic centimeter.[4]
6.
Iron is characterized by its
durability and ease of formation.[5]
7.
Iron is a bright white colour.
Iron is brittle.
8.
It quickly reacts with moist air
to form a thin brittle layer called rust.
Iron sources
Iron is the fourth most abundant element after oxygen,
silicon and aluminum, and it is the most abundant element in the entire Earth,
and is relatively abundant in the sun and other stars. It is formed in the form
of meteoric iron with a ratio of 5-7% of nickel, and it is also formed in
terrestrial sediments, and in meteorites, and is extracted by smelting carbon
and limestone.[1]
Iron uses
Iron is involved in many matters, including the following: [6]
1.
It is used in steel fabrication,
civil engineering, architecture, reinforced concrete, surgical instruments, and
jewelry.
2.
Iron is the essential element for
all life, and it is a non-toxic element, as the normal human body contains
about 4 grams of iron, and a person needs 10-18 milligrams of iron every day,
as the lack of iron in the body leads to anemia.
3.
Iron catalysts are used in the
Haber process for the production of ammonia, and in the Fischer–Tropsch process
for converting hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide into liquid fuels.
4.
It is used in kitchen and
tableware and kitchen equipment, such as: stainless steel pans.[2]
Iron element color
The metal of iron has a bright white color, and iron is
one of the metals used extensively in our daily lives. It is one of the
important elements in concrete construction, electrical machinery including
transformers, as well as cars whose bodies are made of iron, even tin, nails,
screws, and other things Which enters iron in its composition, and iron is
characterized as a strong, malleable, ductile and malleable metal, and is
usually found free in nature. 4.6%.[7]
Iron rust color
Rust is the common name for the iron oxide compound, which
gives the outer surface of the iron a different color from its original color.
Depending on the chemical compound that caused iron rust, rust results from the
interaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of moist air and water.
Although oxygen is always present around the metal in the
air, it does not cause rust, because rust does not form in dry air, and to
protect iron from rust, the outer surface of the iron is usually coated with
materials that prevent its interaction with oxygen and water, for example
Stainless steel is a great choice to protect iron, as it contains chromium in its
composition, which forms an oxide very similar to rust, but the chromium oxide
formed does not flake off, so it forms a protective layer for the iron.[8]
References
1.
"Iron",
www.britannica.com, Retrieved 26-4-2018. Edited.
2.
Agata Blaszczak-Boxe (22-8-2017), "Facts About Iron"، www.livescience.com, Retrieved 26-4-2018. Edited.
3.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
(31-5-2018), "Iron
Facts"، www.thoughtco.com, Retrieved 24-8-2018.
Edited.
4.
"Iron",
www.rsc.org, Retrieved 24-8-2018. Edited.
5.
"Iron",
mysite.du.edu, Retrieved 24-8-2018. Edited.
6.
"Iron",
www.rsc.org, Retrieved 26-4-2018. Edited.
7.
"Iron",
www.mysite.du.edu, Retrieved 11-5-2019. Edited.
8.
Anne Marie Helmenstine (4-5-2019),
"How Rust and
Corrosion Work"، www.thoughtco.com, Retrieved 11-5-2019.
Edited.
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