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The Answer is Puddling is a metallurgical process that was used in the 19th century for making wrought iron from pig iron. The term "puddling" refers to the method of refining iron ore through a process of heating and stirring (or "puddling") the molten iron in a reverberatory furnace called a puddling furnace. This process was invented by Henry Cort in 1784.

The main purpose of puddling was to remove impurities such as carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and sulfur from the pig iron. These impurities make iron brittle and difficult to work with. The puddling process involved melting pig iron in the presence of oxidizing agents, which would react with the impurities, causing them to separate from the iron.

During the puddling process, a worker (known as a puddler) would stir the molten iron with a long rod, which exposed the molten iron to more oxygen from the air and helped to oxidize and remove the impurities. As the iron was stirred and exposed to the air, it gradually absorbed oxygen, which reacted with the carbon in the pig iron to form carbon dioxide gas. This decarburization made the iron more malleable and easier to work with.

Once the iron reached the desired level of purity, it was gathered into a mass called a "bloom." The bloom was then removed from the furnace and hammered or rolled to remove any remaining slag and to consolidate the iron into a usable form. The resulting product, wrought iron, was much stronger and more malleable than the original pig iron, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including construction and the manufacture of tools and machinery.

The puddling process was an important step in the development of the iron industry, as it allowed for the production of higher-quality iron. However, it was eventually replaced by the Bessemer process and other more efficient methods of steel production in the late 19th century.

Please Define the Following Key Terms

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