Depending upon the carbon content, the steel is designated as the mild steel or medium carbon steel or high carbon steel. The various uses of steel are governed by the amount of carbon contained in it.
The carbon content of mild steel is about 0.10 to 0.25 per cent. When carbon content is less than 0.10 per cent, it is known as the dead steel or very low carbon steel.
The carbon content of medium carbon steel is about 0.25 to 0.60 per cent.
The high carbon steel is also known as the hard steel and its carbon content varies form 0.60 to 1.10 per cent or so.
It is observed that ht steel is required for the existence of the heavy and light engineering industries, for ship building, railways and rolling stock, automobiles, sheet metal industries, power generation and electrical industries, etc. It should also be noted that the entire range o electrical engineering industry depends upon the property of magnetism of steel.