Iron
Real Metals · Common · Timeless
The backbone of human civilization for three thousand years. Iron is the fourth most abundant element in Earth's crust and the most widely used metal in history. Its combination of strength, workability, and availability made it the foundation of agriculture, warfare, and industry.
Identity
- Symbol
- Fe
- Atomic number
- 26
- Source
- Natural element
- Used in
- Cast Iron, Inconel, Stainless Steel, Steel
- Aliases
- Ferrum, Fe
Physical Properties
- Appearance
- Silvery-grey, metallic sheen that dulls quickly to reddish-brown oxide
- Luster
- Metallic
- Density
- 7.87 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 1538 °C
- Boiling point
- 2862 °C
- Lighter
- Steel
- Denser
- Celestial Siderite
- Magnetism
- Ferromagnetic
- Electrical conductivity
- High
Mechanical Properties
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Tensile strength
- 540 MPa
- Softer
- White Gold
- Harder
- Cold Iron
- Workability
- Easy
- Brittleness
- Moderate
- Malleability
- Moderate
- Ductility
- Moderate
Chemical Properties
- Corrosion resistance
- low
- Reactivity
- moderate
Lore & Narrative
The Iron Age began around 1200 BC when smiths discovered that iron, though harder to smelt than bronze, produced superior tools and weapons when properly worked. The secret spread rapidly, and within centuries iron had displaced bronze across Eurasia.
- Notable uses
- Weapons, armor, tools, construction, machinery
- Forge uses
- weapons, armor, tools, construction
- Worldbuilding traits
- ubiquitous, magnetic, rust-prone, cheap
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