C5.3 Extracting Metals

Question 1

Reactivity of metals

Answer 1

Most reactive are group 1 atoms so potassium and sodium
Second most reactive are group 2 atoms so calcium and magnesium
Third most reactive are group 3 atoms aliminium
The fourth most reactive are the transition metals and group 4 metals

Question 2

How does carbon displace less reactive matls

Answer 2

Carbon will displace less reactive metals from oxides. Carbon is used to extract metals from their oxides.

You must heat the metal oxide with carbkn. The carbon removes the oxygen from the mtal oxide to form carbon dioxide.

Metal oxide + carbon—-> metal + carbon dioxide

Question 3

Reduction of oxide by hydrogen

Answer 3

Tungsten is used as the reducing agent is hydrogen not carbon even though carbin would be cheaper. This is because carbon forms a compound tungsten carbide,with the mtal formed by reduction. The tungsten obtained from reductiom of its oxide by hydrogen is very pure

Tungsten oxide+hydrogen—->tungsten+water