Question

Wrought iron is manufactured from cast iron by heating it with:
A. $C$
B. $CaC{O_3}$
C. $F{e_2}{O_3}$
D. $Si{O_2}$

Answer 1

Hint: Wrought iron is an iron alloy with very low carbon content in contrast to that of cast iron. Wrought iron composed mainly of iron with 1 to 2% of added slag.

Complete step by step answer:
Now let us first discuss wrought iron and cast iron for more clarification.
Cast iron is formed by smelting iron ore, or melting pig iron (the product of iron ore extraction), and mixing with scrap metals and other alloys. The liquid mixture is poured into moulds and allowed to cool and solidify. Since it has higher carbon content, cast iron solidifies as a heterogeneous alloy, thus it consists of several materials in different phases within its microstructure, which also affects its physical properties.
While it may seem that cast iron is the cast form of pure iron, it's actually an alloy that contains 2- 4% carbon, with addition of smaller amounts of silicon and manganese.
Wrought iron is an iron alloy with very low carbon content in contrast to that of cast iron. Wrought iron composed mainly of iron with 1 to 2% of added slag. In its manufacturing, the iron is removed by applying heat and worked with a hammer while still red hot to get it into its intended final form.
Another important aspect of wrought iron is that it’s highly malleable, meaning it can be heated and transformed into various shapes.
Now coming to the question,
Wrought iron is the purest form of iron that is prepared from cast iron by oxidizing the impurities in a reverberatory furnace striped with haematite. The haematite oxidizes carbon to carbon monoxide:
$F{e_2}{O_3} + 3C \to 2Fe + 3CO$
Thus option C. $F{e_2}{O_3}$ is the correct answer.

Note: An interesting fact about wrought iron is that it gets stronger the more it’s worked. Wrought iron has a much higher tensile strength than cast iron, which makes it more appropriate for construction purposes. In general, it strongly resists fatigue.