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 hardness that ranges from 4 to 5. It is soft and ductile. Iron can be

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