C10 Metals

Question 1

Describe the general physical properties of metals as solids

Answer 1

High Melting & Boiling points, good electrical,malleable

Question 2

Why can metals conduct heat and electricity?

Answer 2

Sea of delocalised electrons

Question 3

carbon used as a method of extraction

Answer 3

any element under carbon in the reactivity series => carbon can be combusted to create carbon dioxide or monoxide to further reduce the compound.

Question 4

What is an alloy?

Answer 4

A mixture of a metal with another metal/non-metal substance (e.g steel)

Question 5

Explain why alloys are stronger than pure metals

Answer 5

The atoms with different sizes disrupt the regular arrangement of metal and this prevents the metal layers from sliding over each other.

Question 6

iron => hematite

Answer 6

C + O2 → CO2
C + CO2 → 2CO
Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2
CaCO3 → CaO + CO2
CaO + SiO2 → CaSiO3

Question 7

removing impurities (slag) from hematite

Answer 7

CaCO3

Question 8

aluminium extraction from bauxite

Answer 8

use of electrolysis

Question 9

List the reactivity series

Answer 9

potassium, sodium,
calcium, magnesium, aluminium, (carbon), zinc,
iron, (hydrogen) and copper

Question 10

What is a displacement

Answer 10

When a less reactive metal is replaced by a more reactive metal in a compound

Question 11

From water, steam, and dilute hydrochloric acid, what would have the most vigorous reaction with metal from the reactivity series

Answer 11

Dilute hydrochloric acid

Question 12

What is metallic bonding?

Answer 12

It is a lattice of positive ions and electrons from a sea of delocalised electrons where they can move around freely.

Question 13

why is electrolysis used to extract aluminium from bauxite?

Answer 13

Aluminium is further up the reactivity series than carbon => cannot extract using carbon (no displacement reaction)

Question 14

If Sodium has a reaction with water and magnesium doesn’t have any reaction with water, which metal is at a higher reactivity series

Answer 14

Sodium

Question 15

Differences between mild steel and high carbon steel

Answer 15

High carbon contains more carbon which makes it harder than mild steel.

Question 16

Example usage of mild steel

Answer 16

Car body

Question 17

Example usage of high carbon steel

Answer 17

cutting tools

Question 18

Relate the method of extraction of a metal from its ore to its position in the reactivity series for the metals listed in section C10.2 and for other metals

Answer 18

extraction of metals that are under carbon => use carbon to displace
extraction of metals above carbon => use of electrolysis to use cathodes and anodes to separate the cations and anions of the compound

Question 19

Metal ores are…?

Answer 19

limited in quantity/ scarce/ finite resources

Question 20

metal ores are better to be…?

Answer 20

recycled => energy input for recycling metals are significantly less than the energy input of displacing metals from its ores

Question 21

Cations are?

Answer 21

A positively charged ion

Question 22

Anions are?

Answer 22

A negatively charged ion

Question 23

uses of aluminium

Answer 23

e.g aircraft parts because its tensile strength (high) and low density (not heavy and provides lift)
e.g food containers since its resistance to corrosion (layer of AlO)

Question 24

Why is potassium more reactive than sodium

Answer 24

Because potassium has to lose electrons further away compared to sodium

Question 25

Describe and explain the apparent unreactivity of aluminium in terms of the oxide layer which adheres to the metal

Answer 25

aluminium has a layer of aluminium oxide => resistance to corrosion since AlO is relatively inert

Question 26

State the uses of mild steel and stainless steel

Answer 26

e.g car bodies and machinery for mild steel => high demand products, unnecessary to use expensive material e.g chemical plants and cutlery for stainless steel => low demand products, cutlery for corrosion prevention