How does adding carbon to Iron make it stronger? How does steel look the molecular structure in comparison to Iron? looking for a very scientific answer =]
Cast Iron' is typically brittle, while 'Maleable Iron' has a small percentage of carbon which allows it to be hammered and formed. Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron. Steel is a crystalline structure of iron molecules interspersed with carbon molecules. This is properly known as cementite. The hardness and malleability of steel depends not only on the carbon content, but on how the carbon and iron molecules are arranged to one another. Internal stresses in the steel's crystalline structure will increase or decrease depending on the temperature it is subjected to and the rate at which molten steel is cooled. This 'tempering' can increase the strength of the steel at the expense of brittleness.
