Question

Why is iron in its particular location on the periodic table?

Answer 1

Simply because it has 26 protons.

Explanation:

The periodic table is a man-made chart that was made to classify elements by their characteristics. Elements are placed in order by increasing proton count.

Protons make up the identity and characteristics that an element processes (you can change the amount of electrons [it makes an ion] or change the amount of neutrons [it makes a isotope], but you can never change the protons [it changes the entire element].)

Iron has 26 protons, (with the electron configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6) placing it with other transitional metals, due to similar shared characteristics.