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Iron Facts & Worksheets

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26.

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Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26. It is a shiny metallic substance that has a gray hue. It is also a non-toxic element vital for all forms of life and the mineral responsible for the growth and development of our bodies.

See the fact file below for more information on Iron, or you can download our 30-page Iron worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • The element iron has the atomic symbol Fe, which originates from the Latin word for iron, ferrum.
  • The word derives from the Anglo-Saxon word iren. According to WebElements, the word “iron” may have been derived from older phrases that meant “holy metal” since it was used to produce the swords that were used in the Crusades. 

DISCOVERY

  • Iron artifacts dating back to around 3500 BC have been discovered in Egypt. They have about 7.5% nickel content, which points to their having come from meteorites as their point of origin.
  • René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, who authored a book on the subject in 1722, is credited as the first person to explain the differences between the various forms of iron. These explained the distinction between steel, wrought iron, and cast iron based on the quantity of charcoal (carbon) that each material contained. This metal was pivotal to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the same century, which began in that same century.
  • Iron was collected from its ores for the first time around 5000 years ago. Charcoal was employed as a reducing agent up to the eighteenth century. Early in the 18th century, charcoal had become both costly and scarce. Iron was in high demand, and it needed 200 acres of forest to supply one iron mill for a year.
  • In 1825, the tremendous demand for railways, which required iron rails, iron in the stock, bridges, tunnels, and more, is referred to as the beginning of the new Iron Age. The desire for anything that could be produced from iron, including window frames, led to a rise in civilian use during this time.

COMPONENTS

  • Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26. It is a metallic substance that is shiny and has a grey hue. In the periodic table, this element is found in the first transition series and group 8 of the metal family. In terms of mass, it is the most common element on Earth, just ahead of oxygen (32.1% and 30.1%, respectively), and it makes up a significant portion of the outer and inner core of the planet.
  • Iron is found on the fourth row and in the eighth group of elements. It is under the d-block, also known as the transition metals. At 68°F, it is in a solid state, while iron’s melting point is at 2800°F and its boiling point is at 5182°F. It has a density of 7.874 g/cm3 and an atomic mass of 55.845. 

KINDS OF IRON

  • Pig iron, also known as cast iron, was manufactured in China in about the 5th century BC. Cast iron was utilized throughout various fields in ancient China, including agriculture and construction. During the medieval period in Europe, ways of manufacturing wrought iron from cast iron utilizing finery forges were discovered. Charcoal was necessary to fuel these forging processes. Because cast iron was more cost-effective than wrought iron for various applications during the tail end of the 18th century, the former began to be phased out in favor of the latter.
  • In contrast, to cast iron, the iron alloy known as wrought iron has a very low percentage of carbon. Wrought iron is strong, malleable, ductile, resistant to corrosion, and can easily be forge-welded; nevertheless, it is more challenging to weld wrought iron using an electrical current.
  • Wrought iron used to be referred to as “commercially pure iron,” however, it no longer meets the criteria for this designation because the new requirements for commercially pure iron need a carbon percentage less than 0.008%. 
  • In ancient times, steel iron, which had a lower percentage of carbon than pig iron, but a higher percentage than wrought iron, was produced in a bloomery (a metallurgical furnace).
  • During the Industrial Revolution, new techniques were developed for manufacturing bar iron without the use of charcoal. 
  • These techniques were subsequently utilized in the manufacturing of steel. Henry Bessemer developed a novel method for producing mild steel in the late 1850s. This method involved forcing air through molten pig iron while the iron was in a molten state. Because this made steel far more cost-effective than wrought iron, the latter was no longer manufactured in significant quantities.
  • Stainless steel shows a high level of resistance to corrosion and contains at least 10.5% chromium. It is utilized in the production of cookware, cutlery, and appliances for the kitchen, such as stainless steel skillets and pans.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Iron is the fourth most abundant element in terms of mass inside the crust of the Earth. Iron, nickel, and sulfur make up the majority of the elements found at the center of the Earth.
  • It is an essential micronutrient for almost all living organisms because of its role in metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, DNA synthesis, and respiration. It is a part of hemoglobin, the protein found in the red blood cells of animals, and is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
  • The red color of the surface of Mars is caused by a significant amount of rust, which is composed of iron oxide. The crust of Mars has more than two times as much iron oxide as the crust of our planet.
  • According to research conducted by the University of Denver, iron, in its purest form, is really rather flexible and pliable.
  • Iron is the metal that is utilized the most, and its production accounts for more than 90 % of the world’s total metal output. Its low cost and high strength make it a popular material for things that need to be strong, like machinery and machine tools, rails, cars, ship hulls, concrete reinforcing bars, and the load-bearing framework of buildings. Since iron, in its purest form is relatively malleable, it is almost always mixed with other elements in order to produce steel.
  • According to research conducted at the University of California Santa Barbara, the color of blood is caused by an interaction between iron and oxygen. The chemical interactions that exist between oxygen and red blood cells make the blood seem red because of the way they reflect light.

IRON MINERAL

  • Iron is a non-toxic element that is vital for all forms of life. On average, a human being has roughly 4 grams of iron in their body. A substantial amount of this is present in hemoglobin, an iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in red blood cells. Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen from our lungs to the cells, which is necessary for respiration.
  • Daily iron requirements for humans range between 10 and 18 milligrams. Anemia, the lack of healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen through the body, is directly related to a deficiency in iron. Iron is found in high concentrations in foods like liver and kidneys, molasses, brewer’s yeast, chocolate, and licorice.
  • Iron is naturally present in many foods. It is also added to certain fortified foods. You can acquire adequate levels of iron in your diet by consuming a range of foods, including those listed below: meat, fish, and poultry with low-fat content, cereals, and bread for breakfast that has been fortified with iron. Included in this list are peas, white beans, lentils, kidney beans, and spinach; various kinds of nuts and dried fruits, including raisins. Iron is occasionally added intentionally to some varieties of bread and breakfast cereals.
  • There are two types of iron, namely heme and nonheme. Because heme iron is only found in animal products such as meat, poultry, shellfish, and fish, it follows that the sole source of heme iron in the human diet is the consumption of animal proteins. Because it is absorbed more quickly, heme iron is a significant contributor to the iron content in the diets of those who have hemochromatosis (usually an inherited condition of iron excess) and those who don’t.
  • Nonheme, on the other hand, iron comes from plants, such as grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Do not suppose, however, that it is found exclusively in plants. Eggs, milk, and other dairy products, as well as animal meat, include trace amounts of nonheme iron, while nonheme iron accounts for more than half of the total iron content in animal meat. 
  • In most cases, the absorption of nonheme iron is more difficult than the absorption of heme iron. Nonheme iron is not often considered a significant source of dietary iron, particularly in those who do not have hemochromatosis.

HEALTH CONCERNS

  • Iron excess, which may be caused by consuming large amounts of red meat, has been linked to the possibility of tumor growth as well as an increased likelihood of developing cancer, particularly colon cancer.
  • Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by insufficient hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Latent iron deficiency occurs when an iron loss is not adequately compensated for by adequate dietary iron intake. 
  • Individuals with deficient diets, children, and premenopausal women are most likely to suffer from iron deficiency anemia.
  • A majority of iron deficiency anemia instances are moderate; nevertheless, if the condition is not addressed, it can lead to issues such as a rapid or irregular heartbeat, difficulties during pregnancy, and delayed growth in newborns and children.
  • Chemotherapy patients may also have an increased risk of developing iron deficiency and anemia; in these cases, intravenous iron treatments are often used to replenish iron levels in the body.

Iron Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Iron across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Iron, the chemical element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26. It is a shiny metallic substance that has a gray hue. It is also a non-toxic element vital for all forms of life and the mineral responsible for the growth and development of our bodies.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Iron Facts
  2. I Came From Iron
  3. Iron on My Plate
  4. Unscramble Me
  5. Get to Know Me
  6. Many Me
  7. True or False?
  8. Iron’s Importance
  9. I Learned That…
  10. Iron Bias
  11. Watch Out For Iron

Frequently Asked Questions

What is iron?

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal that is abundant on Earth and is an important component of many minerals and rocks.

What are some common uses of iron?

Iron is commonly used to make steel, which is used in construction, transportation, and other industries. It is also used to make tools, machinery, and other equipment. Iron is also used in the production of certain chemicals and in the medical field for making medical equipment.

How is iron extracted from ore?

Iron is extracted from ore through a process called smelting. In this process, the ore is heated with a reducing agent, such as coke or natural gas, to remove the oxygen and produce pig iron. The pig iron is then further processed to produce steel.

What are the properties of iron?

Iron is a metallic element that is hard and brittle at low temperatures but becomes malleable and ductile when heated. It is also magnetic and has a high melting and boiling point. Iron is also reactive with water and air, which causes it to rust when exposed to these elements.

What are the health effects of iron?

Iron is an essential mineral that is needed for the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. A lack of iron can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, which causes fatigue, weakness, and other symptoms. However, excessive intake of iron can lead to iron overload and can cause liver and heart damage.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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