Chemical Changes & Metals Flashcards
How reactivity determined for metals?
Reactivity is determined how easily they lose electrons
The higher up a metal is in the reactivity series means…
The more easily it’ll form positive ions (and the more easily it’ll react with water or acid)
What happens when metals react with water or an acid?
They lose electrons and form positive ions
Metals below hydrogen in the reactivity series will…
Not react with acid
Metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series will…
React with acids
How can metals that are less reactive than carbon be extracted from their ores?
By reduction with carbon
How can metals that are more reactive than carbon be extracted from their ores?
Using electrolysis
Recite the reactivity series
Potassium
Sodium
Lithium
Calcium
Magnesium
Carbon
Zinc
Iron
Hydrogen
Copper
Acid + Metal →
Salt + Hydrogen
Metal + Water →
Metal Hydroxide + Hydrogen
How will very reactive metals (potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium) react with acid?
They’ll react explosively
How will less reactive metals (magnesium, zinc, iron) react with acid?
Less violently (than very reactive materials)
Will copper react with cold, dilute acid?
No
The more reactive metal is, the ____ the reaction will go
faster
What is the speed of reaction (metal + acid) indicated by?
Rate of the bubbles of hydrogen given off
What metals will react with water?
Reactive metals like potassium, sodium, lithium & calcium
What metals will not react with water?
Less reactive metals like zinc, iron & copper
How does magnesium react with cold, dilute acid?
Vigorously and produces a lot of bubbles
How does zinc and iron react with cold, dilute acid?
Fairly slowly (speed up if heated)
How can smelting be used to obtain copper?
Heat copper ores in a furnace to extract high concentrations of copper
What is an advantage of smelting?
Get large amounts of copper
What is a disadvantage of smelting?
Time consuming
How can bioleaching be used to obtain metal?
Uses bacteria to produce leachate solutions that contain metal compounds
What is an advantage of bioleaching?
- More simpler/cheaper to operate/maintain
- Environmentally friendly
What is a disadvantage of bioleaching?
Very slow (compare to like smelting)
How can phytomining be used to obtain copper?
- Crops are planted on soil that contains very small amounts of copper
- The plants absorb the copper through their roots
- Plants are burnt to ashes to extract copper
What is an advantage of phytomining?
Easier to use plants than mining - cheaper
What is a disadvantage of phytomining?
Metal is poor quality - many impurities
How can electrolysis be used to obtain copper?
Electricity is used to break down copper compounds into copper elements
What is an advantage of electrolysis?
Get pure copper atoms
What is a disadvantage of electrolysis?
- Takes a lot of electricity
- Expensive
What is an alloy?
Mixture of at least two elements, where at least one of these is a metal
How are the atoms arranged in a metal?
There are layers of metal atoms which can move easily
How are the atoms arranged in an alloy?
Layers of atoms in alloys are disrupted so they don’t move easily
How are alloys made?
By adding another element to a metal = disrupts structure of metal, making alloys harder than pure metals
Acid + Metal Carbonate →
Salt + Water + Carbon Dioxide
What is thermal decomposition?
When heat is used to break substances down
Do all carbonates of metals in Group 1 decompose at temperatures reached by a Bunsen burner?
No
Why aren’t most metals found in earth in their pure forms?
They’re fairly reactive so they’re found as compounds