# Ferrous and Ferric.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 17, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493 "2012-07-17T05:45:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bluefeather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Bluefeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluefeather)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/1 "2012-07-17T05:45:14Z")

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What is the difference, how could one change ferrous into ferric?

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**Author:** ![Bluefeather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Bluefeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluefeather)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/2 "2012-07-17T05:49:27Z")

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Speaking of oxidation in blood

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**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/3 "2012-07-17T05:55:34Z")

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Fenris mods the Giraffe Boards, but only when it’s Ferrous Beuler’s day off.

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/4 "2012-07-17T06:18:06Z")

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Ferrous is any compound where iron has a +2 charge; ferric is one where it has a +3 charge. How it changes is, indeed, called oxidation, but unless you give more detail of what it is you want to know about it will be difficult to come up with better answers.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/5 "2012-07-17T10:05:46Z")

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**Naa** pretty much nailed it. In more general terms, whenever an electropositive element can exist in two different oxidation states, the lower charge is given a name with _-ous_, the higher with _-ic_. The terms function likle adjectives “modifying” the ion of the electronegtative element: ferrous ulphate, ferric carbonate.

Thus:  
Tin: stannous, stannic  
Copper: Cuprous, cupric  
Phosphorus: Phosphorous (note the spelling difference, Phosphoric  
Nitrogen: Nitrous, nitric  
Vanadium: Vanadous, vanadic

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**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/6 "2012-07-17T10:15:32Z")

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In addition to the above, if it’s rust, then it’s ferric. If it’s steel, pig iron or some other iron alloy, then it’s ferrous.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferrous-and-ferric/628493/7 "2012-07-17T12:21:57Z")

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> [@Polycarp](#):
>
> **Naa** pretty much nailed it.

the iron might have been oxidized but **Nava** has been reduced.