Facts About Iron

The fact that one of the ages of prehistoric times - the Iron Age is named after the element, only goes to highlight the importance of iron for human beings. Use of iron for making weapons and cutting tools during this age, substantiates its use since antiquity. Due to this reason, it is not possible to provide a definite answer for who discovered iron. Also, no one can say definitely when did man first start using it because the iron age did not begin at the same time all over the world. Nevertheless, there is proof that the ancient Egyptians and Sumerians used iron sometime around 4000 B.C. However, here are some other facts about iron that have no ambiguity about them.

Quick Facts about Iron

Characteristics	Value
Symbol	Fe
Atomic Number	26
Atomic Weight	55.847
Electron Configuration	[Ar]4s23d6
Melting Point	1535°C
Boiling Point	2750°C
Specific Gravity	7.874
Valence	2,3,4 or 6
Lattice Structure	Body-centered cubic

Properties of Iron
Iron is shiny, silver-colored metal that is malleable, ductile and conducts heat and electricity efficiently. In its pure form it is a very active chemical element. Pure iron readily reacts with oxygen and moisture of the environment to form a reddish-brown coating of rust over its silvery gray surface. It is a transition metal that lies in group 8 and period 4 of the periodic table. Iron is the best known example of allotropy. It has three allotropic forms - α, γ and δ. As far as isotopes are concerned there are 4 isotopes of iron with known natural abundance. Three of them are stable and one is radioactive. An interesting fact about iron ore hematite (Fe2O3) is that it is the most common iron ore. Iron is obtained from this ore by reduction with carbon. Iron is not found in the free elemental state, it is extracted from the iron ore, mostly from hematite (Fe₂O₃). There exist 14 isotopes of iron. Common iron contains a mixture of 4 isotopes.

Uses of Iron
One of the important facts about iron is that it is one of the most widely used metals in the world. It is mainly due to its immense application in industries and fields of engineering to make machinery. However, since pure iron is a soft metal, it is often converted into other forms like pig iron, cast iron, wrought iron, carbon steel and alloy steel. All these forms of iron are obtained by the addition of different elements to pure iron. Iron is the main component of steel which is required in almost every industry. Iron is used in fireworks as it helps produce colored sparks. The color of the sparks depends upon the temperature of the metal (whether it is red-hot or white-hot).

One drawback of iron is that most of its alloys need to be prevented from coming in contact with oxygen and moisture of the environment so that they are not corroded due to formation of rust. Painting, galvanizing and covering objects made of iron are some of the techniques used to prevent rusting.

Other than this, iron also plays an important in the biology of human beings. It is an important component of the oxygen carrying red pigment of blood, the hemoglobin. Almost two-thirds of iron in our body is present in this form. A small amount of iron is also present in our body in myoglobin, which is the protein that supplies oxygen to muscles. Iron also form enzymes that regulate metabolic reactions in our body. This mineral boosts our immune system and ensures proper working of brain cells. The most common condition of iron deficiency is known as iron deficiency anemia. This condition is characterized by constipation, sleepiness, breathlessness, feeling faint and numbness. Other common iron deficiency symptoms include fatigue, weakness, hair loss, irritability and compromised functioning of the immune system. Infant formulas and many other processed foods are fortified with iron. Daily recommended intake of iron depends upon the age, gender, and overall health of the person. Healthy blood keeps you more fit and active; but that does not mean that you should ingest as much iron as possible through supplements. Too much of iron in your blood can prove to be toxic.

Interesting Iron Facts

• Iron is the sixth most abundant element in the universe.
• The source of iron that was used by prehistoric men were meteorites.
• Human beings are believed to have extracted iron through the process of smelting as early as 1800 to 1200 B.C. This probably began in India.
• Cast iron was first produced in China in 550 B.C. Europeans did not catch up with the process of making cast iron till medieval times.
• Latin name of iron is Ferrum. It is from this word that the symbol Fe has been derived.
• Black sands along beaches and stream banks contain the minerals taconite and magnetite. Iron is present in these minerals.
• An interesting fact about iron is that Indians had already mastered the art of extracting and processing iron, the proof of which is the famous Iron Pillar in Delhi. The iron used in this structure has neither corroded nor has been affected by rust for the last 1600 years.

Iron facts inform us that this metal has been one of the oldest metals that human beings have been using. It was not just once that it ushered in a new era in the lives of human beings (in the form of the Iron Age), but it also played an important role in the Industrial Revolution.