Iron oxide

Iron Oxide

Iron oxide (/aɪərn ˈɒksaɪd/), also known as ferric oxide or rust, is a chemical compound composed of iron and oxygen. It is one of the three main oxides of iron, the other two being iron(II) oxide (FeO), which is rare, and iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4), which also occurs naturally as the mineral magnetite.

Etymology

The term "iron oxide" comes from the chemical element iron and the oxide ion. Iron derives from the Old English iren, and oxide comes from the Greek word oxys, meaning "sharp" or "acid".

Chemical Properties

Iron oxide is a reddish-brown, crystalline solid that is insoluble in water. It occurs in nature as the mineral hematite and is a component of rust, which forms when iron reacts with oxygen and water.

Medical Uses

In medicine, iron oxide is used in MRI as a contrast agent for enhanced imaging. It is also used in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia.

Related Terms

• Hematite
• Magnetite
• Ferric
• Ferrous
• Oxidation
• Redox

See Also

• Iron
• Oxygen
• Chemical compound
• Chemical element
• Oxide

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Iron oxide
• Wikipedia's article - Iron oxide

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