Iron – one of elements of a periodic system of D.I. Mendeleyev, is also among those metals which are of particular importance both in functioning of living organisms, and in the industry.
Instruction
1. In Mendeleyev's table iron is an element of the eighth group which atomic number – 26. It is designated by a Fe symbol, these are the first two letters of the Latin name of iron which is written as Ferrum.
2. Iron is a plastic metal of silver-white color, but in pure form it practically does not meet. In the nature it can be found in structure of iron-nickel connections, and in the industry it is most often used in alloys with such chemical elements as chrome or carbon. Melting temperature – about one and a half thousand degrees Celsius has strongly expressed magnetic property.
3. On Earth and in the Solar system, iron is very widespread. It is considered that the terrestrial kernel almost completely consists of iron, and its share in earth crust more than four percent from all its weight. Today the amount of iron in the explored fields is estimated at two hundred billion tons, but to extract such iron from ore, its additional processing is required.
4. On damp air it is quickly ironed rust and collapses. As a result of this process every year it is destroyed millions of tons of this metal. In order that to avoid it, in production the way which carries the name "burnishing" is often applied. In this case other property of iron is used – at its heating in the dry atmosphere above two hundred degrees Celsius, this metal becomes covered by an oxidic film which protects iron from corrosion in the conditions of usual temperatures.
5. Physical properties of iron directly depend on impurity of other chemical elements in the structure. So, sulfur causes a krasnolomkost when at hot processing metal begins to burst, and phosphorus – on the contrary, results in cold brittleness, property of metals to break at low temperatures. Carbon and nitrogen promote that iron lost the plasticity which is peculiar to it at stay in pure form without impurity.
6. One of special chemical properties of iron is that it can have several oxidation levels. The terrestrial kernel consists of neutral iron, and in such look this metal meets only there. The cloak contains already its modified form – zakisny FeO iron, and in the most oxidized parts of earth crust oxide iron prevails.
7. All metallurgical production of the planet for ninety five percent is started on iron, it is extraordinary precious metal for mankind which is used everywhere. Besides, iron is a part of hemoglobin and other cages, not only human, providing functioning to many living organisms.