Ores

Question 1

How are most metals extracted from their ores?

Answer 1

• heating with carbon, illustrated by iron

- electrolysis, illustrated by aluminium

Question 2

Explain why the method used to extract a metal is related to its position in the reactivity series and cost of the extraction process.

Answer 2

• the more reactive a metal is, the harder it is to extract
• the metals with very low reactivity can be found as elements- metals up to zinc (iron, tin, lead, copper, silver, gold, platinum) are extracted by heating carbon.
• metals above zinc (aluminium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium) extracted from their compounds by electrolysis of the molten compound.

Question 3

Where are most metals extracted from?

Answer 3

Most metals are extracted from ores found in the earths crust
Unreactive metals are found in the earth as the uncombined elements