{"id":110,"date":"2020-04-08T15:04:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T15:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=110"},"modified":"2023-08-16T09:14:04","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T09:14:04","slug":"iron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/iron\/","title":{"rendered":"Iron (Fe)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Iron is a chemical element with the atomic number 26 in the periodic table. With an abundance of about 35% in both Earth\u2019s inner and outer core, Fe is the fourth most abundant chemical element in Earth\u2019s crust and the most common chemical element on Earth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iron is the most vitally important component of the hemoproteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. Its presence in our blood is critical for the proper functioning of the brain, muscles, and red blood cells. By binding to oxygen molecules, iron in our blood supports the diffusion of oxygen to all systems, tissues, and organs of the body. In this way, iron provides energy for the skeletal muscles, responsible for our physical movement.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Iron<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Symbol<\/td>Fe<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>Iron<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Number<\/td>26<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Weight<\/td>55.847<\/td><\/tr>
Group<\/td>Transition Metal<\/td><\/tr>
Period<\/td>4 (d-block)<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/td>Iron black, dark gray, steel gray with metallic luster<\/td><\/tr>
Physical State<\/td>Solid at room temperature<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td>From 1.89(49) milliseconds to 2.6 million years<\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity<\/td>1.83<\/td><\/tr>
Density<\/td>7.86 g.cm-3<\/td><\/tr>
Melting Point<\/td>1810\u00b0C, 3330\u00b0F, 2083 K<\/td><\/tr>
Boiling Point<\/td>3145.5\u00b0C, 5694\u00b0F, 3418.5 K<\/td><\/tr>
Van der Waals Radius<\/td>0.126 nm<\/td><\/tr>
Ionic Radius<\/td>0.55 nm (+3)<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Radius<\/td>1.72 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Volume<\/td>07.1 cm\u00b3\/mol<\/td><\/tr>
Crystal Structure<\/td>Cubic: Body centered<\/td><\/tr>
Shells<\/td>2,8,14,2<\/td><\/tr>
Orbitals<\/td>[Ar] 3d6 4s2<\/td><\/tr>
Valence<\/td>2,3,4,6<\/td><\/tr>
Covalent Radius<\/td>1.17 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Isotopes<\/td>28<\/td><\/tr>
Most Characteristic Isotope<\/td>56Fe<\/td><\/tr>
The Energy of the First Ionization<\/td>761 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The Energy of the Second Ionization<\/td>1556.5 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The Energy of the Third Ionization<\/td>2951 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
Name Origin<\/td>Anglo-Saxon: iron; Latin: ferrum (iron)<\/td><\/tr>
Discovery Date<\/td>Known to the ancients<\/td><\/tr>
Uses<\/td>Used in steel and other alloys. Essential for humans. Constituent of hemoglobin. Used in magnetic tapes and disks.<\/td><\/tr>
Description<\/td>Hard, ductile, lustrous bluish-gray metal. Remarkable magnetic properties. Exists in earth’s crust at about 25 ppm.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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With the periodic table symbol Fe, atomic number 26, atomic mass of 55.85 g.mol-1, and electron configuration [Ar] 3d64s2, iron is a ductile, malleable, lustrous silver<\/a>-gray metal. It reaches its boiling point at 2861\u00b0C, 5182\u00b0F, 3134 K, while the melting point is achieved at 1538\u00b0C, 2800\u00b0F, 1811 K. This member of the transition metals family of elements has an electronegativity of 1.8 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is 0.126 nm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iron exists in 4 crystalline forms and possesses a ferromagnetic ability. It\u2019s also an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. Being a member of the transition metals family of elements, this element has two valence electrons and numerous naturally occurring compounds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Iron Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Element 26 is one of the elements that have been born in the Universe by the supernova explosions of mass stars. When a supernova explodes, it scatters iron, oxygen, and carbon<\/a> atoms all over outer space, and by the force of gravity, it lands on other planets, asteroids, and meteors. In other words, this chemical element is older than our planet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s been around since the formation of planet Earth, ancient civilizations didn\u2019t utilize iron until some time around 2000 BC, when the <\/span>Iron Age<\/span><\/a> replaced the Bronze Era. This prehistoric period that started between 1200 BC and 600 BC marks the time in history when people started using iron to make simple weapons and tools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the 1850s, the scientists of the time discovered that iron becomes more durable if a little bit of carbon was added to it. That\u2019s how a new industrial era begins in which iron production becomes one of the main sources for the rapidly growing economy and industrialization. Iron\u2019s main application in those times was for building railways with iron rails, bridges, and tunnels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Iron Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the name of element 26 comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘<\/span>iren<\/span><\/i>‘ which possibly means \u2018<\/span>iron weapon<\/span><\/i>\u2019, the symbol of this chemical element (Fe) is derived from the Latin word \u2018<\/span>ferrum<\/span><\/i>\u2019, meaning \u2018<\/span>iron<\/span><\/i>\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Iron?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Iron is the most abundant naturally occurring metal on Earth. It\u2019s also the sixth most abundant element in the Universe and the most common refractory element.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Earth\u2019s crust, iron can be found in iron-nickel<\/a> alloys. Element 26 originates from the fusion in high-mass stars. During its production in the Universe, nickel-56 decays to the most common isotope of iron during the last exothermic nuclear fusion reaction. Iron can also be traced in the meteors that consist of the iron-nickel minerals <\/span>taenite<\/span><\/i> (35\u201380% iron) and <\/span>kamacite<\/span><\/i> (90\u201395% iron).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metallic or native iron is not often found on the surface of the Earth, due to its tendency to oxidize. The largest portion of the iron that occurs in the crust is found combined with oxygen in a form of iron oxide minerals, such as hematite (Fe2O3) and magnetite (Fe3O4).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For commercial purposes, iron oxides are mainly obtained from the minerals hematite, limonite, magnetite, pyrite, and goethite. While China, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, and Russia count among the top<\/span> producers of iron in the world<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>largest deposits of iron ores<\/span><\/a> are excavated from Brazil, Australia, and Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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List of Iron Minerals<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Element 26 can easily be traced in the following minerals:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n