Sophia+Minney+Adopt+an+Element-+Iron

= What do you think of when you think of iron? The super hero Iron Man? That hot thing you use to iron your clothes? I know that is what comes to my mind. However there is so much more to iron than that. In the rest of this essay, I will discuss the characteristics of iron, the history of iron, and how iron is used today. = = = = First, the characteristics. Iron is the fourth most abundant element on earth. It makes up about 5.6 percent of the earth’s crust. Iron is found in the sun as well as in many types of stars. The element iron is lustrous, metallic, has a grayish silver tinge, and has important magnetic properties. The atomic number of iron is 26, and it’s atomic weight is 55.845. It is has a rather stable nuclei. The standard state of iron is solid. It has a melting point of 2800 degrees Fahrenheit and a boiling point of 5182 degrees Fahrenheit. It is not very common to find the pure metal iron because it is typically alloyed with other metals. This is because pure metals are usually very chemically reactive so they corrode very rapidly, especially at elevated temperatures or in moist air. = = = = Next, the history of iron. Iron is a metal of antiquity. There are only six other metals of antiquity which include gold, copper, lead, silver, tin, and mercury. Metals of antiquity are metals that were used to the ancient Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, and Hittites, and it is impossible to tell which group discovered them first. The origin for the symbol of iron, Fe, comes from the Latin word ferrum, which means iron. The element iron has been known since prehistoric times. Some say iron is a gift from the gods while others say iron comes for meteoric sources. It is very likely that the first iron used by humans came from meteorites. It is rather difficult to trace the history of iron since it is so rare to find iron artifacts from ancient times because iron corrodes so easily. Some scientists state that artifacts made from meteoric iron have been found dating all the way back to 5000 B.C., which would make them around seven thousand years old. However as Christians, we do not believe the earth has been around for that long. There is an iron pillar in Delhi, India dating from around 400 A.D. It is made of wrought iron, is 7.5 meters high, and has a 40 centimeter diameter. Also, iron beads have been found in Egyptian graves and there is evidence of people smelting iron in Mesopotamia, now known as Iraq, dating back to 5000 B.C. = = Pretty much everywhere you go, you see iron at work. Iron is used so commonly because it is so cheap, does not rust easily, and can be easily molded into different forms. It is used in manufacturing tools, cars, the hulls of large ships, machine parts, and building parts. It is also used in surgical equipment and appliances. Typically we see iron alloyed with other elements. Iron chloride is used for treating sewage systems and for dyeing cloth. Iron sulfate helps to treat anemia or iron deficiency. In order to run the water purification systems in our kitchen sinks, iron hydroxide is used. Iron arsenate is found in insecticides which help prevent pest attacks on plants. Wrought iron is commonly used in arbors, trellis, and decorative outdoor furniture. Cast iron is used in pots, pans, skillets, ovens, and trays. = =I hope now you have a better view of iron as the element. The next time you think of iron, instead of just thinking about Iron Man, you will look around you and notice all the different things around you that are made from iron. Without iron, our world would be so much different than it is today =