Student Details
Syllabus Objectives Covered
- Define an ore as a rock containing enough metal compound for extraction to be worthwhile.
- Explain why ores are finite resources and why metal extraction has environmental impacts.
- State that metals below carbon in the reactivity series can be extracted by heating their oxides with carbon or carbon monoxide.
- Describe the extraction of iron from haematite in the blast furnace.
- Explain why aluminium is extracted by electrolysis rather than by carbon reduction.
- Describe the role of cryolite in aluminium extraction.
- Explain environmental and economic advantages of recycling metals.
- State uses of aluminium, copper, iron, steel and zinc and link uses to properties.
Extraction Toolkit
Ore
A rock containing enough metal compound to make extraction worthwhile.
A rock containing enough metal compound to make extraction worthwhile.
Reduction
Removal of oxygen from a metal oxide, or gain of electrons.
Removal of oxygen from a metal oxide, or gain of electrons.
Carbon extraction
Used for metals below carbon in the reactivity series.
Used for metals below carbon in the reactivity series.
Electrolysis
Used for very reactive metals above carbon, such as aluminium.
Used for very reactive metals above carbon, such as aluminium.
Blast furnace
Industrial furnace used to extract iron from iron ore.
Industrial furnace used to extract iron from iron ore.
Recycling
Conserves finite ores and uses less energy than extracting metals from raw materials.
Conserves finite ores and uses less energy than extracting metals from raw materials.
Blast Furnace and Aluminium Extraction Overview
Blast Furnace Inputs
- Iron ore / haematite
- Coke
- Limestone
- Hot air
iron oxide + carbon monoxide → iron + carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide acts as the reducing agent because it removes oxygen from iron oxide.
Aluminium Electrolysis
- Ore: bauxite
- Aluminium oxide is purified from bauxite
- Cryolite lowers the melting point
- Aluminium forms at the cathode
- Oxygen forms at the anode
Aluminium is too reactive to extract using carbon, so electrolysis is required.
Embedded Video Learning Stations
1. Extraction of Iron
2. Blast Furnace Process
3. Extraction Using Carbon
4. Extraction of Aluminium
5. Aluminium by Electrolysis
6. Recycling Metals
Videos are embedded using verified YouTube embed links. Teachers should preview videos before classroom use.
Guided Notes
30-Mark Manual Practice
Answer all parts. Your responses will be sent to the backend sheet for manual marking by your teacher.