Welcome to this week's blog post! Today, I talk about an element that is very common in our lives.
If you are confused by any of these terms, go to the glossary!
Facts about iron
Symbol: Fe
Electron configuration: [Ar] 3d64s2
Atomic number: 26
Key isotopes: 56Fe
Realtive atomic mass: 55.845
Melting point: 1538°C
Boiling point: 2861°C
Electronegativity: 1.83
1st ionisation energy: 762.466 kJ mol-1
Iron is a fairly common element - by mass, it is the fourth most common in Earth's crust. However, this isn't the iron our planet formed with. The original Earth's iron has long sank down to the core - all the iron we find now came from meteorites.
Iron is a fairly dense metal, but is still one of the lighter elements - we've discovered elements with masses more than five times that of iron! It is the only metal that truly rusts but is still incredibly common everywhere in our lives. Normal steel is, in fact, an alloy of iron and carbon with carbon content ranging from 0.1% to 2% carbon.
Iron is needed in our diet as it is used in the body to make haemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to the muscles. It contains two 'haeme' groups (iron-containing... things, for lack of a better word) that can reversibly bind to an oxygen molecule (O2).
There's a place in Antarctica called Blood Falls, named because the water pouring out is blood-red! There's a ton of iron in the water - when it flows out, it oxidises into iron oxide, turning the water a deep, deep red. But considering this is Antarctica... yep, that water's about three times saltier than seawater. And somehow, ferrous ions (Fe2+) and sulphate ions (SO42-) have managed to stay together without bonding! It's odd... it seems to suggest an intricate cycle performed by the bacteria that live in the underground lake that is the source of Blood Falls.
You all remember my sister Maia, right? You know, I occasionally feature her blog here, she sometimes does posts about me... Well, anyway, she's opened a shop (of sorts) on the website Etsy! I suppose it's a bit like the eBay of handmade objects - but a lot more trustworthy. (Oh yeah, that's something new about me - I never trust eBay.)
Anyway, Maia's opened a shop called moodUK, where she makes stuff and sells it! At this moment in time, there's crocheted bookmarks and crocheted jellyfish! She works hard... even if I'm never sure exactly what she's crocheting.
Here is her shop. In Javascript, no less!
Well then! I think I've decided what next Sunday's post will be about... See you then! Bye for now!
1st ionisation energy: 762.466 kJ mol-1
Iron is a fairly common element - by mass, it is the fourth most common in Earth's crust. However, this isn't the iron our planet formed with. The original Earth's iron has long sank down to the core - all the iron we find now came from meteorites.
Iron is a fairly dense metal, but is still one of the lighter elements - we've discovered elements with masses more than five times that of iron! It is the only metal that truly rusts but is still incredibly common everywhere in our lives. Normal steel is, in fact, an alloy of iron and carbon with carbon content ranging from 0.1% to 2% carbon.
Iron is needed in our diet as it is used in the body to make haemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to the muscles. It contains two 'haeme' groups (iron-containing... things, for lack of a better word) that can reversibly bind to an oxygen molecule (O2).
There's a place in Antarctica called Blood Falls, named because the water pouring out is blood-red! There's a ton of iron in the water - when it flows out, it oxidises into iron oxide, turning the water a deep, deep red. But considering this is Antarctica... yep, that water's about three times saltier than seawater. And somehow, ferrous ions (Fe2+) and sulphate ions (SO42-) have managed to stay together without bonding! It's odd... it seems to suggest an intricate cycle performed by the bacteria that live in the underground lake that is the source of Blood Falls.
Anyway, Maia's opened a shop called moodUK, where she makes stuff and sells it! At this moment in time, there's crocheted bookmarks and crocheted jellyfish! She works hard... even if I'm never sure exactly what she's crocheting.
Here is her shop. In Javascript, no less!