Iron and it’s compounds

1.)    Iron was discovered about 3000 years ago.

2.)    Many centuries later, iron and steel have made the Industrial Revolution possible.

3.)    Various types of steel are alloys of iron with carbon and other elements.

4.)    Iron is a typical metallic element but it has one exceptional characteristics-it can be magnetised.

5.)    Iron is a transition metal.

6.)    If we keep mining iron at the rate which we are presently eventually the Earth’s resources of iron will be exhausted.

BLAST FURNACE.

1.)    Iron ore is split in the blast furnace.

2.)    Iron from the blast furnace contains between 3% - 5% dissolved carbon, making it brittle.

3.)    The iron that comes from the blast furnace is called ‘cast iron’.

4.)    Iron which contains less than 0.25% carbon is called ‘wrought iron’ – This is the purest form of iron.

5.)    There are many iron ores some are-

                                                 Haematite-Fe2O3

                                                                   Magnetite-Fe3O2

                                                                   Iron Pyrites-FeS2

      6.)  Iron ore, coke and limestone are placed in the blast furnace and the iron is         extracted from them.

      RUSTING.

1.)    Rust is hydrated iron (iii) oxide.

2.)    Iron rusts when it is contact with both water and air.

Iron Compounds.

       There are two series of compounds:

1.)    Iron (ii) or ferrous compounds (containing Fe two plus ions) which are mostly green.

2.)    Iron (iii) or ferric compounds (containing Fe three plus ions) which are mostly brown.

By Judith Kelly: Chemistry Department, Loreto College, Coleraine.