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Compare Iron vs Carbon

Comparing Iron (Fe) and Carbon (C). Atomic numbers 26 and 6 with atomic masses 55.845 u and 12.01 u, classified as transition metal and nonmetal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Fe
Iron
#26
C
Carbon
#6

Periodic properties of the elements

IronCarbon
SymbolFeC
Atomic number266
Group814
Period42
Blockdp
Element categoryTransition MetalNonmetal

Physical properties

IronCarbon
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density7.874 g/cm31.821 g/cm3
Atomic weight55.8452 u12.0096 u
Melting point1811 K
1537.85 °C
2800.13 °F		-
Boiling point3134 K
2860.85 °C
5181.53 °F		-

Atomic properties

IronCarbon
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)1.832.55
Electron affinity14.785 kJ/mol121.776 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−4, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7
(an amphoteric oxide)		−4, −3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4
(a mildly acidic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 762.5 kJ/mol
  2. 1561.9 kJ/mol
  3. 2957 kJ/mol
  4. 5290 kJ/mol
  5. 7240 kJ/mol
  6. 9560 kJ/mol
  7. 12060 kJ/mol
  8. 14580 kJ/mol
  9. 22540 kJ/mol
  10. 25290 kJ/mol
  11. 28000 kJ/mol
  12. 31920 kJ/mol
  13. 34830 kJ/mol
  14. 37840 kJ/mol
  15. 44100 kJ/mol
  16. 47206 kJ/mol
  17. 122200 kJ/mol
  18. 131000 kJ/mol
  19. 140500 kJ/mol
  20. 152600 kJ/mol
  21. 163000 kJ/mol
  22. 173600 kJ/mol
  23. 188100 kJ/mol
  24. 195200 kJ/mol
  25. 851800 kJ/mol
  26. 895161 kJ/mol
  1. 1086.5 kJ/mol
  2. 2352.6 kJ/mol
  3. 4620.5 kJ/mol
  4. 6222.7 kJ/mol
  5. 37831 kJ/mol
  6. 47277 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

IronCarbon
Shorthand configuration[Ar] 3d6 4s2 [He] 2s2 2p2
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p2
Electrons per shell2, 8, 14, 22, 4

History

IronCarbon
DiscoveryMiddle East (5000 BC)Egyptians and Sumerians (3750 BC)
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