Question

Why steel is called the alloy of carbon and iron? I saw that a lot of metals are used in making steel then why? Also is carbon also used in stainless steel?

Answer 1

Dear Student,
Steel is a mixture of Iron and other metals & non-metals (alloy means mixture)
Stainless steel is obtained by combining carbon, chromium, and nickel in iron. The composition of various elements in stainless steel is:

Fe (83%) + C (1%) + Cr (15%) + Ni(1%)

Stainless steel has many advantages over iron. The most important is that unlike iron, it does not rust. Hence, it is widely used for making utensils, cutlery, surgical instruments, and ornamental articles. It is also stronger than iron.

Regards