Definition
An alloy of iron with small amounts
of carbon and, often, other metals. Carbon
steels contain 0.05–1.5% carbon – the
more carbon, the harder the steel. Alloy
steels contain carbon but also contain
small amounts of certain other elements;
for example chromium, manganese, and
vanadium. Their properties depend on the
composition. Stainless steels, for instance,
are resistant to corrosion. The main nonferrous
constituent is chromium (10–25%)
with up to 0.7% carbon.
