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.
Practise Edexcel GCSE Chemistry Transition metals, alloys and corrosion with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 97 questions, matched to the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry (1CH0) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
