Metals

Question 0

What is an ore?

Answer 0

A rock containing metal, or a metal compound, in high enough concentration to make it economic enough to extract the metal.

Question 1

What is a compound?

Answer 1

A substance formed by the chemical union (involving bond formation) of two or more elements.

Question 2

How is iron extracted?

Answer 2

In a blast furnace.

Question 3

How does a blast furnace work?

Answer 3

Iron is generally found iron oxide. Carbon is used to displace the iron and produces carbon dioxide which leaves molten iron because it’s a gas.

Question 4

What is the word and symbol equation for the process where carbon displaces iron?

Answer 4

iron oxide + carbon → iron + carbon dioxide

2Fe2O3 + 3C → 4Fe + 3CO2

Question 5

What is first produced after the process where carbon displaces iron?

Answer 5

Cast iron

Question 6

What are the properties and uses of cast iron?

Answer 6

It’s brittle, hard and easily compressed.

It’s used to make wood-burning stoves, man-hole covers and engines.

Question 7

Once all impurities are removed from the cast iron, pure iron is made. What are the properties and why?

Answer 7

It’s soft and easily shaped because the layers can slide over each other easily.

Question 8

What are the contents, properties and uses of high-carbon steel?

Answer 8

Contents: iron and carbon
Properties: hard
Uses: cutting tools

Question 9

What are the contents, properties and uses of low-carbon steel?

Answer 9

Contents: carbon and iron
Properties: easily shaped
Uses: car body panels

Question 10

What are the contents, properties and uses of low-alloy steel?

Answer 10

Contents: iron and 2 or more certain elements for specific attribute
Properties: variety of use and durability characteristics depending on specific attribute chosen
Uses: military vehicles, earthmoving and construction equipment, ship hulls, submarines, bridges, off-highway vehicles etc.

Question 11

What are the contents, properties and uses of high-alloy steel?

Answer 11

Contents: iron and 2 or more certain elements for specific attribute
Properties: variety of use and durability characteristics depending on specific attribute chosen
Uses: cooking utensils, cutlery

Question 12

How is copper used and what properties does it have?

Answer 12

Uses: electrical wires, plumbing pipes and cooking pans
Properties: low resistance, good conductor of heat/electricity, flexible, low reactivity

Question 13

How is copper more commonly found?

Answer 13

Copper oxide or copper sulfide

Question 14

What is one main way we can extract copper and what is the word and symbol equation for this process?

Answer 14

We can place the copper in sulfuric acid. The copper compound will react with this and form a solution of copper sulfate.
copper oxide + sulfuric acid → copper sulfate + water
CuO + H2SO4 → CuSO4 + H2O

Question 15

Explain the process of smelting and the word and symbol equation for it.

Answer 15

This process involves heating the copper containing compound very strongly in a furnace with air.
This produces crude copper (it will still contain some impurities)
copper (I) sulfide + oxygen → copper + sulfer dioxide
Cu2S + O2 → 2Cu + SO2

Question 16

Explain the process of electrolysis.

Answer 16

Crude copper from smelting is placed in a copper-containing solution and the crude copper acts as the positive electrode in an electrical circuit. Electricity is passed through the electrode and through the electrolyte. The copper of the crude copper will break up and go into the solution. Copper ions are positive and so will travel to the negative electrode which is made of pure copper which grows in size because more copper is being played onto it.

Question 17

Explain the process of displacement.

Answer 17

Scrap iron is placed into the copper sulfate solution that is made in the process mentioned earlier. As the iron is more reactive than the copper, the copper is displaced from the solution to leave pure copper and iron sulfate solution.

Question 18

Explain the process of phytomining.

Answer 18

Plants like cabbages absorb copper ions into their roots. The plants are burned and the copper can be extracted from the ash by adding sulfuric acid to form copper sulfate solution and then purified.

Question 19

Explain the process of bioleaching.

Answer 19

Bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores. This leads to copper-containing leachate which we can purify.

Question 20

What are some properties and uses of titanium?

Answer 20

Properties: low density but strong, very high melting point, unreactive, resistant to corrosion
Uses: aircraft and racing bike bodies, jet engine parts, nuclear reactor parts and replacement hip joints

Question 21

What can’t and can be used to displace titanium?

Answer 21

Can’t use carbon even though it’s more reactive than titanium because carbon makes it brittle
Can use more reactive metal such as magnesium or sodium

Question 22

Why are aluminium and titanium so resistant to corrosion?

Answer 22

Oxide layer stops oxygen getting to the rest of the metal below layer.

Question 23

What process is used to extract aluminium and why is it expensive?

Answer 23

Electrolysis is used which uses high temperatures an a great deal of electricity.

Question 24

What environmental issues are cause by electrolysis?

Answer 24

CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels and from electricity generation.

Question 25

What’s properties and uses does aluminium have?

Answer 25

Properties: low density (light), good conductor of electricity ad energy, easily shaped, doesn’t corrode easily, strong and can form alloys
Uses: drink cans, cooking foil, saucepans, high-voltage electricity cables, airplanes and space vehicles and bicycles