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Aluminum is too reactive to be found in nature. It wasn't purified until the 1800's and then it was so hard to get pure that it was valued as a precious metal much like silver and gold. Only within the last 100 years has aluminum been able to be produced in mass at a low cost.
Iron on the other hand is abundant and not nearly as reactive. Indeed people have been able to refine iron for thousands of years.
Iron is lower on the reactivity series than aluminum and can be displaced from its ore by heating it and adding carbon. Aluminium needs electricity to extract it in big amounts so it was only after electricity was discovered that we could get lots aluminum.
Iron ore is found in Europe and is also quite straight forward to extract the metal using rudimentary processes. The use of metals were generally first used in Europe.
Aluminium is found mostly outside Europe and the extraction process is very complex and requires huge amounts of heat energy (usually supplied using electricity) that early man just couldn't make at the temperatures and timescales required.
In the 1800's aluminum was more expensive then gold was because of the difficulties in obtaining it. It exists in nature as a compound and is not found in a natural state. The earlies metals such as Iron can be found in lumps of meteorites and deposits, usually heavily oxidized, but easily smelted in fires.
because it's coolbecause it's cool
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Did native americans know iron before the europeon colonization-?
No, because they were isolated, Native Americans did not know of the use of iron before the European colonization. People in Europe, Africa, and Asia found many uses for iron long before Native Americans.
How long was the iron age?
400 billion years ago XD
What did the vikings use iron for?
I do not know about Norway, Denmark and Iceland but many lake-bottoms in Sweden are covered with Limonite, Iron-oxide, which is possible to harvest for Iron.
How long ago was the iron age?
the iron age happened about 2.5 million years ago. the iron age was followed by the stone age, which happened about 3 million years ago
How long did the iron ages last?
About 1200 years in Europe.
Why was iron used long before alluminium?
Iron was used for thousands of years before aluminum. While aluminum is more abundant, it is not as easy to work with as iron.
Why did iron age occur before the aluminum age?
Because aluminum is an alloy which was discovered long after the iron age.
Why was iron used extensively long before aluminum even though there is more aluminum in the earths crust?
Iron was used first because it was easier to aquire. In ancient times iron could be found either as the metal or as its ore and could be reduced to the metal by burning it with a high carbon source(charcoal was used until coke replaced it because of enviromental concerns and cost). Carbon is more reactive than iron so it reduces the ore to iron. While there is a lot of aluminium in the crust none of it is pure, and aluminium is more reactive than carbon so it was impossible to reduce with the normal methods of the ancients. Aluminium is produced by melting the ore and using electrolysis (this is sending an electric current through the liquid which breaks the molecular bonds. This requires electricity which the ancients were lacking in.). summary: iron was easier to get to and use P.S. it is good that they used iron for buildings and weapons. Aluminium fatiques and it would break, causing lots of problems.
Who were the scientists who discovered iron?
Iron was discovered long before we had people who could be called scientists.
Will aluminum foil keep things cooler?
yes, as long as it was cold before wrapped. It will also keep food warm to as long as it was heated before being wrapped as well. Just be sure to not put aluminum foil in the microwave!
What is the element iron room temperature?
I have no idea at all what your question means. Take a piece of iron and put it in a room whose temperature is 32 degrees, and before long the iron's temperature will be 32 degrees. Put a piece of iron into a room that is at 105 degrees, and before long the iron's temperature will be 105 degrees.
What are current scrap metal prices in Mississippi?
Magee, Ms Long Iron/Cars 11.00 short Iron 11.50 Tin 10.50 aluminum .57 Copper 1.80 brass 1.65
How long those it take aluminum to decompose?
Aluminum corrodes rapidly on its exposed surface, but unlike the rust on iron which catalyzes more corrosion, this corrosion layer is protective and once it is thick enough corrosion stops. After that aluminum can last almost forever, unless the layer is damaged.
Did native americans know iron before the europeon colonization-?
No, because they were isolated, Native Americans did not know of the use of iron before the European colonization. People in Europe, Africa, and Asia found many uses for iron long before Native Americans.
Is it bad to use aluminum cookware?
Both aluminum and nonstick cookwares are safe for cooking use. However, aluminum can withstand more heat that nonstick cookware can. The non-stick part of a cookware will melt off at a certain temperature.
How long does it take for an aluminum can to biodegrade?
How long it takes for an aluminum can to biodegrade
What is better cast aluminum or wrought iron?
Cast iron, wrought iron and steel are all essentially alloys of iron and carbon.Wrought iron is iron with a low carbon content, it was used in place of Cast iron is iron that has been shaped by being poured into a cast.
