<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> references in Wikidata </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Iron is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from Latin: ferrum) and atomic number 26 . It is a metal in the first transition series . It is by mass the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core . It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust . Its abundance in rocky planets like Earth is due to its abundant production by fusion in high - mass stars, where it is the last element to be produced with release of energy before the violent collapse of a supernova, which scatters the iron into space . </P> <P> Like the other group 8 elements, ruthenium and osmium, iron exists in a wide range of oxidation states, − 2 to + 7, although + 2 and + 3 are the most common . Elemental iron occurs in meteoroids and other low oxygen environments, but is reactive to oxygen and water . Fresh iron surfaces appear lustrous silvery - gray, but oxidize in normal air to give hydrated iron oxides, commonly known as rust . Unlike the metals that form passivating oxide layers, iron oxides occupy more volume than the metal and thus flake off, exposing fresh surfaces for corrosion . </P>

Fe is the chemical symbol for what element