The most significant difference between these two precious metals is that iron is much heavier than aluminum. At room temperature, aluminum has a density of 2.70 g/cm3, while iron has a density of 7.87 g/cm3, making iron the heavier metal. Aluminum and iron are used to make automobile and aircraft parts.
However, the bodies of cars and airplanes are made of aluminum because of its lighter density and weight. Aluminum and iron have important properties such as atomic weight, atomic number, melting point, and boiling point. Iron has the symbol Fe and an atomic number of 26, while aluminum has an atomic number of 13 and the symbol Al. iron has a higher melting and boiling point than aluminum.
Aluminum is widely used in the die-casting of complex parts. Household appliances, ship parts, medical equipment and other devices are manufactured using aluminum as the main raw material.
Another important difference is their ability to attract magnets. While iron is highly magnetic, aluminum is non-magnetic. In their pure state, both metals are silvery-gray, soft, and react with moist air, but aluminum is more reactive than iron.
Thermal and electrical conductivity are properties of all metals; however, aluminum is a better conductor than iron. Iron and aluminum are widely used in a variety of industrial products, while aluminum has an advantage due to its resistance to corrosion. On the other hand, iron corrodes quickly. It is mixed with carbon to make the alloy stainless steel.
