Getting Metals from Rocks 2

Question 1

Metals more reactive than carbon =

Answer 1

Have to be extracted using electrolysis of molten compounds.

Question 2

Give an example of a metal which has to be extracted by electrolysis?

Answer 2

Aluminium.

Question 3

Why is the process of electrolysis expensive?

Answer 3

It uses a lot of energy.

Question 4

How is extracted aluminium expensive?

Answer 4

A high temperature is needed to melt aluminium oxide so that aluminium can be extracted .
Requires a lot of energy- expensive.

Question 5

What metal is purified by electrolysis?

Answer 5

Copper.

Question 6

What can copper easily do?

Answer 6

Be extracted by reduction with carbon.

Question 7

Where is copper heated?

Answer 7

In a furnace.

Question 8

What is heating in a furnace called?

Answer 8

Smelting.

Question 9

However, copper produced by smelting is what?

Answer 9

Impure.

Question 10

What doesn’t impure copper do?

Answer 10

Conduct electricity very well.

Isn’t useful as copper is used to make electrical wiring.

Question 11

What is used to purify impure metals?

Answer 11

Electrolysis.

Quite expensive.

Question 12

What does electrolysis produce?

Answer 12

Very pure metal.

Eg copper and its a good conductor.

Question 13

What does electrolysis mean?

Answer 13

Breaking down of a substance using electricity.

Question 14

What does electrolysis require?

Answer 14

Liquid to conduct the electricity, called the electrolyte.

Question 15

What is an electrolyte?

Answer 15

Metal salt solutions made from the ore or molten metal oxides.

Question 16

What does the electrolyte have?

Answer 16

Free ions.

Question 17

What does the electrolytes fee ions do?

Answer 17

Conduct electricity and allow the whole thing to work.

Question 18

What happens to the electrons?

Answer 18

Taken away from the positive anode and given away by the negative cathode

Question 19

What happens when ions gain or lose electrons?

Answer 19

They become atoms or molecules and are released.

Question 20

How is electrolysis used to get copper?

Answer 20

Electrons are pulled off copper atoms at the anode, causing them to go into the solution as Cu2+ ions.
Cu2+ ions near the cathode gain electrons and turn back into copper atoms.
The impurities are dropped at the anode as a sludge, whilst pure copper atoms bond to the cathode.

Question 21

COPPER;

What is released into the solution?

Answer 21

Cu2+.

Question 22

COPPER;

What do the Cu2+ ions near the cathode do?

Answer 22

Gain electrons and turn back into copper atoms.

Question 23

COPPER;

Where do the pure copper atoms go?

Answer 23

Bond to the cathode.

Question 24

COPPER;

What does the cathode start as?

Answer 24

A think piece of pure copper.

More pure copper adds to it.

Question 25

COPPER;

What is the anode?

Answer 25

Big lump of impure copper which will dissolve.