Reactions of Metals Flashcards
What name is given to metals that are found on Earth in their elemental state?
Native metals
Define the term metal ore
Rock which contains enough metal to make it economically worthwhile to extract the metal
Some metals are obtained by removing oxygen from the metal oxide. What name do we give to this chemical reaction?
Reduction
Why are gold and platinum very expensive metals?
They are very rare compared to other metals
How is iron ore made into iron?
It is put into a blast furnace, and the carbon then displaces the iron from its compounds, so the iron will then come out in its pure, liquid form
Why is aluminium more expensive than iron?
In order to reduce aluminium, you need to use electrolysis, which is more expensive than using a blast furnace
why can lead oxide be extracted with carbon but aluminium oxide cannot?
As carbon is higher up on the reactivity series, it was able to displace the lead oxide, making carbon dioxide+lead, but because aluminium is more reactive than carbon, it wasn’t reduced
Lead oxide+carbon——>
lead+carbon dioxide
Describe how copper compounds are obtained by phytomining
Plants absorb the copper compounds that are in the soil through their roots, and concentrate these ions in their cells. The plants are then harvested and burnt, and the copper is then extracted from the ash. The ions can then be leached from the ash by adding sulphuric acid. This makes copper sulphate, which can then be displaced by iron scraps, and then using electrolysis you will be able to get the pure form of copper
Describe how copper compounds are obtained by bioleaching
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade copper ores. A solution of copper ions (leachate) can be obtained from waste copper ore. Scrap iron and electrolysis is used to extract the copper from the leachate
What 2 substances are needed for iron to rust?
Air and water
How would a wax seal prevent a car from rusting?
The wax seal acts as a protective barrier around the car so no air or water can get to the steel
What else can prevent rusting?
A zinc coating, so the steel is galvanised
Why would strips of magnesium also help?
The magnesium will rust instead of the steel
What is a disadvantage of the magnesium method?
As magnesium is highly reactive, it will corrode easily, so will have to be replaced quite often
