What is iron?

Iron is known to mankind from time immemorialtimes. The first mention of this metal dates back to the fourth millennium BC. Thus, iron products were found in the ancient Egyptian pyramids. A few centuries later in ancient Rome, people already knew well what iron is, they could smelt and process it for the production of steel and cast iron with the help of a furnace and a furnace. To date, the technology of iron production has not changed. Iron in the modern world is used everywhere: in construction, in the manufacture of weapons, transport, household products.

Iron in Chemistry

In the chemical system of Mendeleev, iron iselement of the eighth group of the fourth period. The atomic weight of iron is 26. Chemists describe iron as a malleable metal of a silvery white color. Iron has a pronounced ability to interact with other chemical elements, so at a certain humidity and the presence of oxygen in the air, iron changes rapidly.

Iron in Geology

In geology and geochemistry it is believed that iron -The most common element in the solar system, in particular, on the planet Earth. For example, the core of the planets is 90% composed of this metal. In the earth's crust, iron is also widely distributed. It ranks second among other metals in terms of rock content. This is what makes it possible to extract and process iron everywhere.

In the industry, hematite and magnetite mineralsare the main sources of iron. It should be noted that iron in its pure form is used for production extremely rarely. Most often used are various alloys, which include both iron and other elements. More about this you can read here.

Iron in the human body

The human body can not fullyfunction without iron. In the adult body, the iron content is 3-5 g. Most of the metal is in the blood, a third in the liver, and a small amount of iron is found in the spleen, muscles and bone marrow.

Iron performs several functions in the bodyrights. First of all, it is storage and transportation of oxygen. So, iron is a part of hemoglobin, each molecule of which contains 4 iron atoms. It is hemoglobin that binds oxygen molecules and delivers it to tissues and organs. In addition, iron is involved in the metabolism. So, it helps to destroy harmful substances in the liver, participates in the exchange of cholesterol, the process of hematopoiesis.

Iron in food

The body must receive a small dailyportion of iron. Iron as a trace element, contained in products, is necessary for the body to grow, maintain immunity and restore muscle tone. Iron also helps to relieve fatigue, up to anemia. In this article, you can read what products contain iron.

Computer hardware

If you ask a person who is engagedcomputers, what is iron, most likely, he will begin to list the details of the computer. Indeed, in the computer environment, hardware means different physical components of the computer: what can be changed, broken or touched. On the computer hardware you can read in one of our articles.

Iron in the gym

About iron can be heard from people who are engaged in the gym. Many bodybuilders call iron various sports equipment, shells: for example, weights, dumbbells or "pancakes" for the bar.

Now you know what iron is. Obviously, this metal is very closely related to human life. In history there is a whole era in which iron was a key factor in the development of mankind - the Iron Age. Today the value of iron has significantly decreased, as people have learned to make artificial polymers, which sometimes surpass iron in their parameters. But, one way or another, the importance of iron for man is undeniable.