Ferrous metals and steels

1. Ferrous metals consist of iron combined with carbon, silicon and other elements. But carbon is the most important element in ferrous alloys.

2. Ferrous metals are used in industry in two forms: steel and cast iron, which differ in the quantity of carbon content.

3. Alloys consist of a simple metal combined with some other element. Steel is a ferrous material having some carbon content. There are two kinds of steel: carbon steel and alloy steels.

4. Carbon steel should contain only iron and carbon without any other alloying element.

5. Alloy steels are those in which in addition to carbon an alloying element is present. These alloying elements have an effect on the properties of steel. They increase its strength and hardness, for example, high percentage of chromium makes steel rust-resistant, and we call it "stainless steel".

6. Strength, ductility and machinability are the most important industrial and commercial properties of steel. Such properties as resistance to wear, electrical conductivity, and magnetic properties are important in special uses of metals.

7. According to their chemical and mechanical properties steels may be used in different branches of industry, for example, in machine building, rocket engineering, automobile industry, etc.

4. Найдите соответствующие ответы на вопросы и напишите их в той последовательности, в которой заданы вопросы:

Вопросы

1. What elements do ferrous metals consist of?

2. What is carbon steel?

3. What arc alloy steels?

4. What are the most important properties of steel?

5. In what branches of industry are steels used?

Ответы

a. Steels in which in addition to carbon an alloying element is present.

b. In machine building, automobile industry, etc.

c. Of iron combined with carbon, silicon and other elements.

d. It contains only iron and carbon.