Ferrous Metal
Do you have a magnetic personality? Your car does, too. More than 2/3 of the mass of most cars is made of iron and steel - metals that are magnetic.
Resource Title:
Ferrous Metal
Description:
Do you have a magnetic personality? Your car does, too. More than 2/3 of the mass of most cars is made of iron and steel — metals that are magnetic.
Target Grade Level:
Grades K - 12
Discipline or Course (Audience):
Science
Time Frame:
One 45-minute session
Suggested Grouping:
Individual
Key Vocabulary:
ferrous, magnetic
Remote Learning Adaptations:
This resource is appropriate for remote learning; no adaptations or modifications are necessary.
STUDENT CONTENT BELOW THIS LINE
Do you have a magnetic personality? Your car does, too. More than 2/3 of the mass of most cars is made of iron and steel — metals that are magnetic. Iron (Fe) is the most common metal (by mass) on our planet. You can find it in the ground, in rocks (even meteoroids), and in soils on Earth and Mars.
The symbol for iron on the periodic table, Fe, comes from the Latin adjective ferrous. In the heat of stars, iron is made from the decay of another element, nickel (Ni). On the periodic table, you can see that iron has two fewer protons than nickel. Its properties are similar to ruthenium (Ru) and osmium (Os).
In the center of our planet, molten iron creates our planet’s magnetic field. On the surface, iron combines easily with oxygen (O) in many forms. This oxidation is the reason why iron ore often looks red or rusty.
Iron has been used as a tool since prehistoric times. But in its purest form, this dense metal is brittle and isn’t as useful as iron alloys, also called steel. When iron is mixed with carbon (C), it can become much harder and less brittle. The carbon holds the iron molecules in their crystal structure. Other elements are often added to iron to make steels with different properties, like nickel, chromium (Cr), or manganese (Mn). These alloys increase steel’s hardness, ductility (ability to be stretched), and strength.
Because iron and steel are magnetic, it is easy to separate them in the recycling process. When a car is shredded, the small bits are run through a machine with strong magnetic coils. The ferrous metals are sorted into one pile, and the remaining components of the car into others.
Like most metals, iron can be used again and again. Recycling saves money and energy, and it is a renewable source of high-quality materials.
Figure 1: Periodic Table of Elements - Iron
Reflect and Apply:
- Name two properties of iron.
- Why does iron need special processing before we use it?
- What is an alloy?
- What properties of iron alloys make them more valuable?
Extension:
Create a diagram that models the cycle of how the iron and steel in your car can be used and then recycled. The diagram should describe the recycling process and include the kinds of products that might be made or re-purposed from iron and steel recycling. Conduct research to help you as necessary. One source of information is: Web Link - Recycling Old Cars into New Steel Products | YouTube
