Is Ferrous and Ferric the Same Thing? A Deep Dive into Iron's Oxidation States
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4 min read
The element iron, represented by the symbol Fe, can exist in more than one oxidation state, with the +2 and +3 states being the most common. While both ferrous and ferric refer to iron, they are not the same thing, with the key distinction lying in the number of electrons each ion has lost. This fundamental chemical difference leads to significant variations in their characteristics, from solubility and color to their roles in biological systems and industrial processes.
