Stainless steel is an alloy of iron containing carbon and chromium. It is often used to make medical surgical instruments.
The table below shows some properties of pure iron and stainless steel.
| Substance | Density in g/cm3\text{g/cm}^3g/cm3 | Relative strength | Resistance to corrosion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Iron | 7.9 | Low | Very Low |
| Stainless Steel | 7.7 | High | Very High |
Explain, using the information in the table, why stainless steel, rather than pure iron, is preferred for making surgical instruments.
97 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 6.1 Transition metals, alloys and corrosion, covering 6.1.1 Properties of transition metals, 6.1.2 Corrosion and its prevention, and 6.1.3 Alloys and the uses of metals. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.