C2c

Question 1

How can smelted copper be made pure

Answer 1

By using electrolysis

Question 2

Why so recycling copper cheaper than extracting it from its ore

Answer 2

• it saves resources; we don’t need so many huge copper mines
• it saves the energy needed to crush rocks and to operate smelters and electrolysis cells

Question 3

How does electrolysis work

Answer 3

In an electrolysis cell, the ANODE is impure copper. The ANODE dissolves into the ELECTROLYTE (solution) and pure copper coats the CATHODE. The CATHODE is ‘plated’ with new copper

Question 4

What are the benefits of recycling copper

Answer 4

• fairly low melting point
• easy to melt down and recycle
• cheaper than extracting it from the ore

Question 5

What are the problems with recycling copper

Answer 5

• getting people to recycle it in the first place
• sorting the copper from other metals
• even the copper samples must be sorted; valuable ‘pure’ copper scrap mustn’t be mixed with less pure scrap. Copper with solder on it will contaminate the metal when the copper is melted

Question 6

What does electrolysis actually mean

Answer 6

The break up of a chemical compound (the electrolyte) by using an electric current.

Question 7

What is the equation for when the sulphate electrolyte gains electrons and deposits them onto the copper cathode

Answer 7

Cu^(2+) + 2e^(-) -> Cu

Question 8

What is the equation for when copper atoms in the anode turn into ions, and put copper ions back into the electrolyte

Answer 8

Cu - 2e^(-) -> Cu^(2+)

Question 9

What is reduction and oxidation

Answer 9

Reduction is a gain in electrons

Oxidation is a loss of electrons

OILRIG

Question 10

What is bronze and how was it made

Answer 10

Bronze is an ALLOY

During The Bronze Age, tin was added to copper to create bronze; a much harder version of copper

Question 11

What is an alloy

Answer 11

An alloy is a mixture of a metal element with another element. Alloys have different properties from the metals they are made from, which is why we use them

Question 12

What is the removal of oxygen called

Answer 12

Reduction

Question 13

What is a smart alloy

Answer 13

Smart alloys are more bendy than steel and so are harder to damage; eg nitinol is a smart alloy made from nickel and titanium

Question 14

What is a solder

Answer 14

Alloys can have lower melting points than pure metal, and this can be useful. An alloy of lead and tin melts so readily that it can be used to join (solder) metals together. The ALLOY is called a solder