name two qualities of iron and its uses
Answers
Answer:
heya ❤️
Explanation:
Iron is used to make alloy steels like carbon steels with additives such as nickel, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and manganese. These are used to make bridges, electricity pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools and rifle barrels. Cast iron contains 3–5% carbon.
Answer:
Explanation:
Steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and various other metals, which are used to enhance the properties (strength, resistance to corrosion, tolerance of heat, etc.) of iron. Changing the type and amount of the elements alloyed with iron can produce different types of steel.
The most common steels are:
Carbon steels, which contain between 0.5% and 1.5% carbon: This is the most common type of steel, used for auto bodies, ship hulls, knives, machinery, and all types of structural supports.
Low alloy steels, which contain 1-5% other metals (often nickel or tungsten): Nickel steel can withstand high levels of tension and is, thus, often used in the construction of bridges and for making bicycle chains. Tungsten steels keep their shape and strength in high-temperature environments, and they're used in impact, rotary applications, such as drill bits.
High alloy steels, which contain 12-18% other metals: This kind of steel is only used in specialty applications due to its high cost. One example of high alloy steel is stainless steel, which often contains chromium and nickel, but it can be alloyed with various other metals as well. Stainless steel is very strong and highly resistant to corrosion.
Iron Production
Most iron is produced from ores found near the Earth's surface.1 Modern extraction techniques use blast furnaces, which are characterized by their tall stacks (chimney-like structures). The iron is poured into the stacks along with coke (carbon-rich coal) and limestone (calcium carbonate). Nowadays, the iron ore normally goes through a process of sintering before entering the stack. The sintering process forms pieces of ore that are 10-25mm, and these pieces are then mixed with coke and limestone.
The sintered ore, coke, and limestone are then poured into the stack where it burns at 1,800 degrees Celsius. Coke burns as a source of heat and, along with oxygen that is shot into the furnace, helps to form the reducing gas carbon monoxide. The limestone mixes with impurities in the iron to form slag. Slag is lighter than molten iron ore, so it rises to the surface and can easily be removed. The hot iron is then poured into molds to produce pig iron or directly prepared for steel production.
Pig iron still contains between 3.5% and 4.5% carbon,2 along with other impurities, and it's brittle and difficult to work with. Various processes are used to lower the phosphorus and sulfur impurities in pig iron and produce cast iron. Wrought iron, which contains less than 0.25% carbon, is tough, malleable and easily welded, but it's much more laborious and costly to produce than low carbon steel.
In 2010, global iron ore production was around 2.4 billion tonnes. China, the largest producer, accounted for about 37.5% of all production, while other major producing countries include Australia, Brazil, India, and Russia. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that 95% of all metal tonnage produced in the world is either iron or steel.