steel

Steel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between . and . by weight C–Fe, depending on grade. Carbon is the most costeffective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten. Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent, preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. Steel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between .