Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about metal and steel, ya know? It ain’t as complicated as them city folks make it out to be. It’s just plain stuff, really.
What’s Metal Anyways?
See, metal, that’s just the stuff ya find in the ground. Like, God put it there, ya dig? It’s in them rocks and dirt, all over the place. Them smarty pants scientists, they call it “elements,” but I just call it metal. It’s like, if you dig deep enough, you gonna find some metal. Some of it’s shiny, some ain’t. Some of it’s hard, some of it’s soft.
- Shiny stuff
- Hard stuff
- Stuff from the ground
Now, some metals, they let the ‘lectricity run through ‘em real good. That’s why they use ‘em in them wires and such. You know, the things that bring the light to your house? Yup, that’s metal doin’ its job.
Then What’s Steel, Huh?
Steel, that’s a whole ‘nother story, but it ain’t that complicated neither. See, steel ain’t just somethin’ you find layin’ around. It’s made. Yep, somebody gotta mix stuff together to make steel. They take that metal from the ground, mostly iron, and they mix it up with other stuff, like that black stuff they call carbon. Why they do that? Well, it makes the iron stronger, ya see. Iron by itself, it’s kinda soft, but when you mix it up right, it gets tough like steel.
So, What’s the Big Difference?
Well, like I said, metal is the stuff you find, and steel is the stuff you make. One’s natural, the other’s man-made, I guess you could say. Think of it like this: you got flour, that’s like metal. Then you mix that flour with water and yeast and bake it, and you get bread. That bread, that’s like steel. Makes sense?
How Can Ya Tell ‘Em Apart?
Now, if you got a piece of somethin’ and you don’t know if it’s metal or steel, there’s a simple way to figure it out. You get yourself one of them magnets, ya know, the kind that sticks to the fridge. You hold it up to that piece. If it sticks, good chance it’s steel or iron, or somethin’ like that. If it don’t stick, well, it might still be metal, but it ain’t steel, not usually.
Strong Like Steel?
Folks always say “strong like steel” and that ain’t just hot air. Metal’s strong too, sure, but steel? Steel’s somethin’ else. That’s why they use it for buildin’ them big skyscrapers and bridges and such. You ain’t gonna build nothin’ big and strong with just any old metal, no sir. You need steel. Steel can hold up a whole lot of weight, and it don’t bend or break easy.
Metal’s Got Its Uses Too
But don’t get me wrong, metal’s important too. They use different kinds of metal for all sorts of things. Like that copper stuff in your pennies? That’s metal. And that gold they make jewelry out of? That’s metal too. And that aluminum they use for them soda cans? Yep, metal. See, metal ain’t just one thing, it’s a whole bunch of things. Each kind’s got its own special use.
The Long and Short of It
So, there ya have it. Metal and steel. One’s from the earth, the other’s made from that earth stuff. One’s kinda like the ingredients, the other’s like the cake. Metal is the basic stuff, and steel is the strong stuff made better. And both of ‘em are important, ya know? Can’t have one without the other, I reckon.
And that’s about all there is to it. Don’t let them fancy words fool ya. It’s all just stuff from the ground, one way or another.
