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Iron is a chemical element; it has the symbol Fe (from Latin ferrum 'iron') and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core.
Iron(II) complexes are less stable than iron(III) complexes but the preference for O-donor ligands is less marked, so that for example [Fe(NH 3) 6] 2+ is known while [Fe(NH 3) 6] 3+ is not. They have a tendency to be oxidized to iron(III) but this can be moderated by low pH and the specific ligands used. [18]
Iron reaches the atmosphere through volcanism, [8] aeolian activity, [9] and some via combustion by humans. In the Anthropocene, iron is removed from mines in the crust and a portion re-deposited in waste repositories. [4] [6] The iron cycle (Fe) is the biogeochemical cycle of iron through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere.
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Iron supplements, also known as iron salts and iron pills, are a number of iron formulations used to treat and prevent iron deficiency including iron deficiency anemia. [ 11 ] [ 12 ] For prevention they are only recommended in those with poor absorption , heavy menstrual periods , pregnancy , hemodialysis , or a diet low in iron.
Iron meteorites consist overwhelmingly of nickel-iron alloys. The metal taken from these meteorites is known as meteoric iron and was one of the earliest sources of usable iron available to humans. Iron was extracted from iron–nickel alloys, which comprise about 6% of all meteorites that fall on the Earth.
Below 912 °C (1,674 °F), iron has a body-centered cubic (bcc) crystal structure and is known as α-iron or ferrite.It is thermodynamically stable and a fairly soft metal. α-Fe can be subjected to pressures up to ca. 15 GPa before transforming into a high-pressure form termed ε-Fe discussed below.
Iron-60 is an iron isotope with a half-life of 2.6 million years, [12] [13] but was thought until 2009 to have a half-life of 1.5 million years. It undergoes beta decay to cobalt-60 , which then decays with a half-life of about 5 years to stable nickel-60.