Look around you.
Just look around you.
Have you worked out what we're looking for?
Correct. The answer is...
This programme, "Iron",
is discussed in chapter 3 of your textbook,
which accompanies this series.
Please ensure that you have your copybook at hand,
as you'll be asked to take notes down from the screen
at various points throughout the programme.
Iron, or to give it its full name, Iron De Havilland,
is one of the sturdiest and heaviest of all elements.
(CRASH)
This is thanks largely to its rigid molecular structure.
Here is a model of an iron molecule.
And here is a model of a model of an iron molecule,
modelled in iron.
Man has been using iron since the Stone Age,
and over the years, we've garnered a healthy respect for the metal,
so that Sundays are now devoted
to the cleaning and polishing of all our iron possessions.
But it's not all work.
As a young child, you may have played with iron filings,
counting and recounting them over and over again,
and keeping a daily record of the figures in your iron diary.
Some of you may even have tried bending an iron spoon
using nothing but the powers of your imagination.
It rarely works, but it's fun, and that's what counts.
Of course, it's hard to know what De Havilland himself,
the father of iron chemistry, would make of all this,
but no doubt he'd probably have a twinkle in his eye.
An experiment was carried out
to demonstrate the effects of sulphuric acid upon iron.
First, a sample of iron is placed upon a Ravenscroft pan.
(CRASH)
Next, a small quantity of sulphuric acid is collected, via a pipette.
The bell is sounded and the experiment can begin.
The scientist releases a tiny drop of acid onto the iron,
probably only about point point five point 05 microgallons.
Observe the reaction and note down the results in your copybook.
The sulphuric acid has broken the iron into its most basic form,
brown iron, or Bumcivilian.
Now watch what happens when the scientist rings the bell this time.
(SILENCE)
The bell's not broken, it's in good working order.
It's just that when Bumcivilian is produced,
it has the effect of sucking in all the sound from its vicinity.
Even with the scientist joining in,
we still hear nothing.
But after a few seconds, the effect diminishes.
(SCIENTIST SHOUTS, BELL RINGS)
Let's take a look at some of the ways iron is used.
Iron is used to make irons,
as well as thimbles and knives.
An iron horseshoe is a popular item,
as it brings its owner good luck.
You've probably seen one in your parents' car.
Amongst the most regular users of iron in a professional capacity
are the police force, because iron is used to make handcuffs.
And also this,
the face shackle, worn by petty criminals.
The face shackle is a kind of portable prison,
which must be worn around the clock for periods of up to 18 months,
or three years if you're a repeat offender.
The cheapest kind of iron in modern usage is pig iron,
so called because it's manufactured by pigs.
(CRASH)
Pigs are much more cost-effective than humans,
and they work far longer hours than any man would tolerate.
There are currently plans for them to have their own trade union,
although whether this would work in reality, nobody knows.
An experiment was carried out
to illustrate the effects of electricity upon iron.
First, an iron pyramid is placed upon the work surface.
Next, the pyramid is connected to an electrical circuit,
powered by a 9-volt battery.
We're going to feed both an AC and a DC current
through the ferric pyramid,
and so the battery itself is connected to the mains.
We're working with AC/DC because it's heavy metal.
(WHIRRING)
We're going to turn on the current now,
so get ready to take down notes from the screen.
(BUZZING)
Did you see that?
The bolt of electricity passed right through the building.
Let's take a look outside.
An enormous pair of scissors has appeared in the sky
directly above the laboratory.
And after a few moments...
..it's gone.
It's an old experiment that you've probably seen before,
but well worth trying nonetheless.
Now hand in your copybook to your teacher or head of class.
In the next programme, we will look at flowers.