Layman's explanation:Since antiquity, Iron has been known for its malleability and abundance. Iron is a soft grey metal that is very ductile and easy to work; it can be rolled, hammered, bent, and tempered. Iron makes up 5% of the earth's crust in the form of ores such as hematite, limonite, magnetite, and taconite. This makes it the second most abundant metal, following aluminum. Most iron is used to manufacture carbon steel: iron with about 1.5% carbon and traces of other elements, but it is also used for many other alloys and steels of various types. Iron melts at 1808 degrees kelvin and boils at 3023 degrees kelvin. Insufficient iron in the bloodstream causes anemia, a medical condition causing unusual tiredness and other symptoms resulting from underdeveloped or few red blood cells.
Reciprocal Net site software 0.9.1-50,
copyright (c) 2002-2009, The Trustees of Indiana University
Files and data presented via this software are property of their
respective owners.
Reciprocal Net is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation as part of
the National Science Digital Library project.
