The element iron is located in Group 8, which is part of the transition metals. Other Group 8 elements include ruthenium, osmium and hassium.
Iron has been in use since antiquity. Its atomic symbol, Fe, comes form the Latin word for iron, "ferrum." It is one of the most abundant metal elements and comprises most of the Earth's core. Iron plays an important role in living things. It is a component of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells within the human body. In plants, iron helps in the creation of chlorophyll. An alloy of carbon and iron, called steel, has many practical uses, such as the creation of buildings.
