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Iron oxide is an inorganic compound and the formula for it is Fe2O3. It is considered as one of three main oxides of iron. It is also one of the most commonly found forms of iron. Iron oxide is mainly used in the steel industry because it is the main alloy in making of steel. |
The iron oxide molecule contains 2 atoms of iron and three atoms of oxygen. This is represented in the chemical formula for iron oxide. When iron is extracted from the iron ores it exists in a pure form called as ferrous.
However, ferrous oxide is one of the forms in which iron exists and is obtained after chemical processes and oxygen reacting with iron. This mineral is also known as hematite and exists in a reddish brown color. It is paramagnetic in nature and rust can easily attack it. Rust is also known as the iron oxide and rust shares a lot of similarities with iron in chemical composition. To due to the presence of certain chemicals rust is usually considered as an ill material; and also described as hydrated ferric oxide.
Iron oxide exists in three phases. The alpha phase is one of the most common forms that iron oxides are found. The magnetic characteristics depend on several factors like pressure, size of the particle and the magnetic field intensity, for example. The other two phases the beta and the gamma phase are not that commonly found and they do not exist naturally in the environment.
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