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Key Properties and Extraction of Metals

Metals have several common physical properties including high melting points, malleability, ductility, and the ability to conduct heat and electricity well. They also have high densities and some are magnetic or sonorous. Chemically, metals form positive ions and react with oxygen to form oxides. Alloys of multiple metals have increased strength and irregular atomic structures that prevent easy layer sliding. Metals higher on the reactivity series form more stable compounds and have a greater tendency to exist in compounds rather than as elements. Extraction methods depend on reactivity - the least reactive exist as elements while the most reactive require electrolysis or carbon reduction from oxides.

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72 views4 pages

Key Properties and Extraction of Metals

Metals have several common physical properties including high melting points, malleability, ductility, and the ability to conduct heat and electricity well. They also have high densities and some are magnetic or sonorous. Chemically, metals form positive ions and react with oxygen to form oxides. Alloys of multiple metals have increased strength and irregular atomic structures that prevent easy layer sliding. Metals higher on the reactivity series form more stable compounds and have a greater tendency to exist in compounds rather than as elements. Extraction methods depend on reactivity - the least reactive exist as elements while the most reactive require electrolysis or carbon reduction from oxides.

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jahangir
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Properties of metals

(Usual) Physical properties:

-High melting points (except mercury)

-Malleable and ductile

-Good conductors of heat – because of their free electrons

-Good conductors of electricity – because of their free electrons

-Have high densities

-They are sonorous

-Sometimes magnetic (e.g. iron)


(Usual) Chemical properties:
-Form positive ions
-React with oxygen to form oxides

Metals are often used as alloys (mixtures of metals with other metals and/or non metals) because they have an increased range of uses, the
mixture of atoms gives an irregular structure which stops the layers sliding over each other so easily, so they are stronger.

This is what the structure of an alloy (a) looks like, compared to a pure metal (b).
Reactivity series
K – Potassium

Na – Sodium

Ca – Calcium

Mg – Magnesium

Al – Aluminium

C – Carbon

Zn – Zinc

Fe – Iron

Pb – Lead

H – Hydrogen

Cu – Copper

Ag – Silver

Au – Gold

Everything above Hydrogen can displace hydrogen from its acid, and hydrogen cannot reduce their oxides.
Metals above carbon, their oxides cannot be reduced by carbon.
An element can displace an other element from it’s oxide if it is more reactive. e.g. copper oxide + zinc → copper + zinc oxide. More reactive
metals will react with cold water, and
less reactive will react slowly or not react with steam.

(Paper 6: copper (II) oxide is a black solid)


1/2
The elements further up the reactivity series form more stable compounds and have a greater desire to exist in a compound than as an element,
so:

-metals will displace a less reactive metal from its oxide or…

–displace a less reactive metal from a salt in a solution.

Thermal decomposition:
Metal hydroxide → (heat) → metal oxide + water

This does not apply to potassium and sodium. It happens faster, the further you go down the reactivity series.
All nitrates decompose on heating, but don’t all form the same products.

Potassium or sodium nitrate → (heat) → potassium or sodium nitrite + oxygen


Metal nitrate (except K and Na) → (heat) → metal oxide + nitrogen dioxide + oxygen

Aluminium seems unreactive because it naturally forms an oxide layer which protects it.
(a) Extraction of metals
-The most unreactive metals like copper and gold exist in their ores as elements. All that needs to be done is remove sand or soil and other
impurities. They can be washed off, and no chemical reaction is needed.

-More reactive metals exist in compounds and have to be reduced, for example how iron oxide is reduced in the blast furnace by carbon
monoxide to form iron. Carbon monoxide is a reducing agent.

-The more reactive metals have very stable compounds and must be extracted by electrolysis. Aluminium’s main ore is bauxite, it is purified to
get alumina; it is Aluminium (III) oxide (extraction of aluminium).

Extraction of iron from haematite in the blast furnace:

Coke burns with air: carbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide (exothermic)


Carbon dioxide reacts with coke: carbon dioxide + carbon →

carbon monoxide (endothermic)

Iron (III) oxide + carbon monoxide → iron + carbon dioxide


Limestone reacts with impurities: calcium carbonate (limestone)

+ silicon dioxide (silica) → calcium silicate + carbon dioxide

Iron to steel: Molten iron from the blast furnace is poured into an oxygen furnace. Basic calcium oxide is added, and a jet of oxygen is turned
on. The calcium oxide neutralises the acidic impurities, forming slag that is skimmed off. The oxygen burns the other mpurities away.

iThe carbon content is checked continually until it is just right –if there is too much it is brittle, too little and it is weak – then the oxygen is
turned off.

Extraction of zinc from zinc blende: Zinc blende is zinc sulphide (ZnS). It is roasted in air, giving zinc oxide and sulphur dioxide.

Then either:

Zinc oxide is reduced by carbon monoxide in the Then the mixture of zinc and slag undergoes fractional distillation.

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