Iron's atomic number is 26, neutrons:30. It has 4 energy levels (2,8,14,2). Iron was known to the ancients. Its symbol is from the Latin Ferrum. "Iron" comes ultimately from celtic origins, or German=eisen, Old English= Isen, Iren......
It is obtained from iron ores. Iron and nickel are the most abundant metals in metallic meteorites and the earth's core. It is used in steel, and is a constituent of the biological molecule hemoglobin (carries oxygen in the blood).
A catalyst increases a reaction rate while remaining chemically unchanged at the end of a reaction. Iron is the catalyst in the Haber process, which is the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen over an iron substrate. This produces ammonia, which can then be oxidised to make the nitrites and nitrates for production of nitrate fertilizer and munitions.
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