3.2 Iron and Steels Flashcards
What is used to reduce iron (III) oxide?
A blast furnace provides high temperatures to reduce the metal
What percentage is the iron produced by blasting iron (III) oxide?
96%
What is cast iron?
The hard, brittle iron produced by reducing iron (III) oxide in a blast furnace
Why does cast iron have very few uses?
The impurities it has makes it very hard and brittle so shatters easily
How can we make cast iron into pure iron?
Remove the carbon and other impurities
Why does pure iron not have many uses?
It is too soft
What is most iron used for?
To make steels
What are steels?
Alloys of iron
What makes steel an alloy of iron?
Because they are mixtures of iron with carbon and other elements
What happens to the carbon in the blast furnace?
It is oxidised and replaces irons place with the oxygen
The iron is reduced by carbon so the iron oxide becomes carbon dioxide
What happens to the iron in the blast furnace?
It is reduced as carbon takes its place with the oxygen
How can we change the types of steel that are made?
Carefully adjust the amounts of carbon and other elements
Describe a physical property of low carbon and high carbon steels
Low carbon: easily shaped
High carbon: hard
Name a type of steel that contain larger quantities of other metals?
Stainless steels
Name a chemical property of stainless steel and other steels that contain large quantities of other metals
They resist corrosion
