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Chemistry Unit 1 > C1.3 Metals and their uses > Flashcards

C1.3 Metals and their uses Flashcards

1
Q

Define ‘ore’

A

A rock containing enough metal to make it economically worthwhile extracting

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2
Q

What happens to ores before the metal is extracted?

A
  • Mined

- Concentrated

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3
Q

How might the economics of extraction change over time?

A
  • If the market price decreases, it might not be worth extracting it
  • If the market price increases, it might be worth extracting more of it
  • As technology improves, it becomes possible to extract more metal than was originally possible.
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4
Q

How are metals usually found in the earth?

A

As compounds - oxides of the metals - that need chemical reactions to extract the metals

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5
Q

Why are some metals found in the earth as the metal itself?

A

They are unreactive e.g gold

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6
Q

What is the ore of aluminium?

A

Bauxite

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7
Q

What is the ore of copper?

A

Chalcopyrite

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8
Q

What is the ore of iron?

A

Haematite

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9
Q

What is the ore of titanium?

A

Rutile

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10
Q

Define ‘reduction’

A

A chemical reaction in which oxygen is removed

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11
Q

Which metals can be reduced with carbon?

A

Metals less reactive than carbon

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12
Q

What is the process of reaction with carbon?

A 
The ores are reacted with carbon to remove the oxygen in them e.g
iron oxide (haematite) + carbon ===> iron + carbon dioxde
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13
Q

Explain how iron oxide is reduced in a blast furnace.

A
  • Iron oxide, limestone and coke are put in the top of the blast furnace
  • Hot air is blown in at the bottom
  • Carbon monoxide reduces the iron core (at high temperatures carbon dioxide in the air reacts to form carbon monoxide)
  • Molten slag and iron come out at the bottom
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14
Q

How are metals more reactive than carbon extracted?

A

With electrolysis of their molten compounds

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15
Q

Give an example of a metal extracted with electrolysis.

A

aluminium from aluminium oxide (bauxite)

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16
Q

Why is electrolysis expensive?

A

A high temperature is needed to melt the metals, which uses a high amount of energy

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17
Q

What is smelting?

A

Heating a copper ore in a furnace to reduce it with carbon

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18
Q

Why does copper undergo electrolysis after smelting?

A

To purify it so that it can conduct electricity

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19
Q

What is electrolysis?

A

The breaking down of a substance using electricity

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20
Q

What is the electrolyte and what is it usually made of?

A

The liquid that conducts the electricity in electrolysis, it’s usually made of molten metal oxides or a metal salt solution from the ore.

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21
Q

What is an important property of the electrolyte and why?

A

It contains free ions, they conduct electricity and allow the whole thing to work

22
Q

What happens at the anode in the electrolysis of copper?

A

Electrons are taken away from the copper ions, causing them to become copper positive ions

23
Q

What happens at the cathode in the electrolysis of copper?

A

The copper ions gain electrons and become copper atoms again.

24
Q

What is displacement?

A

A reaction where a more reactive metal replaces a less reactive one in a dissolved metal compound.

25
Q

Why does displacement happen?

A

The more reactive metal bonds more strongly to the non-metal part and pushes out the less reactive metal.

26
Q

How is copper displaced?

A

Using scrap iron - useful because its cheap
Its put in a solution of copper sulfate:
copper sulfate + iron ==> iron sulfate + copper

27
Q

Why is important to recycle copper?

A
  • The supply of copper rich ores is limited

- The demand for copper is growing

28
Q

What are scientists looking into to supply the demand for copper?

A
  • Ways of extracting copper from low grade ores

- Ways of extracting copper from the waste produced from copper extraction

29
Q

Explain bioleaching

A
  • Bacteria separate copper from copper sulfide
  • They get energy from breaking the bond between the copper and the sulfur
  • The leachate (solution) they produce from this process contains copper which is extracted
30
Q

Explain phytomining

A
  • Plants absorb copper compounds through their roots in copper rich soil
  • The plants can’t use the copper so it builds up in the leaves and roots
  • The plants are then harvested, dried and burnt in a furnace
  • The copper is collected from the ash
31
Q

Why are the current methods of extracting aluminum and titanium expensive?

A
  • There are many stages involved

- Large amounts of energy are needed

32
Q

What are the advantages of extracting metals?

A
  • Useful products
  • Local people have jobs
  • Improves the area’s economy
33
Q

What are the disadvantages of extracting metals?

A
  • Causes noise
  • Scarring of the landscape
  • Loss of habitats
  • Abandoned deep mine shafts can be dangerous
34
Q

Give 6 reasons to recycle metals.

A
  • Mining and extracting metals uses up energy and therefore fossil fuels which causes more acid rain, global dimming and climate change
  • Fossil fuels are running out and so need to be conserved
  • Recycling saves money as energy is expensive
  • Recycling conserves metal resources in the earth
  • Recycling cuts down on the amount of rubbish = less landfill
35
Q

How much iron does cast iron contain?

A

96% - the rest is carbon

36
Q

Why does cast iron have limited uses?

A

It is brittle

37
Q

What is the one good property of cast iron?

A

Good strength in compression

38
Q

What is cast iron used for?

A

Ornamental railings

39
Q

What is high carbon steel used for and why?

A
  • Bridges and cutting tools

- It’s very hard, inflexible and brittle

40
Q

What is low carbon steel used for and why?

A
  • Car bodies

- Easily shaped

41
Q

What is stainless steel used for and why?

A
  • Cutlery and containers for corrosive substances

- Its corrosive resistant

42
Q

Why are alloys harder than pure metals?

A
  • Different elements have different sized atoms
  • When carbon is added to pure iron, the smaller carbon atoms upset the regular arrangement of the pure iron atom layers
  • This makes it more difficult for them to slide over each other
43
Q

Why are pure metals such as copper, gold and aluminium mixed with small amounts of similar metals?

A

They would be too soft otherwise, they are mixed to make them harder for everyday use

44
Q

Give 4 examples of alloys used today

A
  • Copper + tin = bronze = hard = medals and statues
  • Copper + nickel = cupronickel = hard and corrosion resistant = silver coins
  • Gold alloys = harder = jewellery
  • Aluminium alloys = strong and low density = aircraft
45
Q

Give 4 properties of transitional metals

A
  • Strong
  • Can be bent and hammered into shapes
  • Conductors of heat
  • Conductors of electricity
46
Q

What are transitional metals useful for?

A
  • Bridges
  • Something for heat to travel through e.g a saucepan base
  • Electrical wires
47
Q

What are the two main uses of copper and what properties make it useful for this?

A
  • Electrical wiring = good conductor of electricity

- Plumbing = doesn’t react with water, hard and strong but can be bent

48
Q

What is aluminium used for and what properties make it useful for this?

A
  • Strong
  • Can bent into shape
  • Light
  • Airplanes
49
Q

What is titanium used for and what properties make it useful for this?

A
  • Light
  • Doesn’t corrode
  • Doesn’t bend easily
  • Replacement hips
50
Q

What are the problems with metals as materials?

A
  • Many corrode when exposed to air and water (need painting)

- Metals can get ‘tired’ when stress and strain is repeatedly on them over time (known as metal fatigue)

Chemistry Unit 1 (7 decks)

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