Chromium vs Steel
Chromium and Steel are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 2 measured properties, density most clearly.
Chromium vs Steel
These are different kinds of thing (element, alloy). Fewer properties mean the same thing across both, so a like-for-like reading may not be available.
Chromium
Cr
The element that makes stainless steel stainless, by growing an oxide layer thin enough to be invisible.
Steel
Iron with a controlled, small proportion of carbon — the most-used engineered material in the world.
| Property | Chromium | Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic number Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | 24 | Not known |
| Density | 7.14 g/cm³ | 7.75–8.05 g/cm³ higher |
| Electrical conductivity Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 6.99 MS/m |
| Melting point | 1907 °C higher | 1370–1510 °C |
| Mohs hardness Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | about 8.5 | Not known |
| Molar mass Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | 51.9961 g/mol | Not known |
| Tensile strength Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 400–2000 MPa |
| Thermal conductivity Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 15–54 W/(m·K) |