INTRODUCTION
Iron metal was known and used for ornamental purposes and weapons in prehistoric ages,the earliest specimen still extant,a group of oxidized iron beads found in Egypt,dates from about 4000 bc.
It exists in three different forms, which are alpha-iron,gamma-iron and delta-iron.The internal arrangement of the atoms in the crystal lattice varies in the transition from one form to another.
BASIC INFORMATIONS
- Atomic Number
- 26
- Atomic Mass
- 55.845
- Atomic radius
- 0.117
- Ionization energy
- 762
- Electronic config
- 2,8,14,2
- Principal Valency
- +2
- Density g/cm³
- 7.87
- Melting point °C
- 1538
- Boiling point °C
- 2862
- Type of Element
- Metal
- Electronegativity
- 1.8
- Element Category
- Iron Group
- Appearance
- Silver white metal
- Block
- d-block
- Period
- 4
- Group
- 8
- No of Isotopes
- 28
- Occurrence
- Combine form
- Abundance in ppm
- 60,000
- Year of Discovery
- N/A
EXTRACTION
It is converted to its oxide and then reduce by carbon
OXIDATION STATES
+6,+5,+4,+3,+2,+1,-1,-2 (Amphoteric)
MAJOR SOURCE
hematite, magnetite, goethite, siderite
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PRESENT
Ferric oxide, potassium ferrocyanide, Ferric chloride
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
* Pure iron is used for the production of galvanized sheet metal and of electromagnets.
* Its compounds are utilize in the treatment of anemia,when the amount of hemoglobin or the number of red blood corpuscles in the blood is lowered.
* It is usually processed as wrought iron, cast iron, and steel which is widely used in the engineering field.
* It is used in the pharmaceutical fields for the manufacturing of tonic
