C2 - Construction Materials & Metals, Alloys & Making cars

Question 1

Where do many construction materials come from?

Answer 1

Rocks found in the Earth’s crust

Question 2

What are the rocks called that metals such as iron and aluminium are extracted from called?

Answer 2

Ores

Question 3

How is brick made?

Answer 3

By baking clay that has been extracted from the Earth

Question 4

What are glass, concrete and cement all made from?

Answer 4

Sand (small grains of rock)

Question 5

Why is limestone the easiest rock to shape?

Answer 5

Because it’s the softest

Question 6

Which rock is the hardest to shape?

Answer 6

Granite

Question 7

What type of rock is limestone?

Answer 7

Sedimentary

Question 8

What type of rock is marble?

Answer 8

Metamorphic

Question 9

What type of rock is granite?

Answer 9

Igneous

Question 10

What are limestone and marble mainly made of?

Answer 10

Calcium carbonate ( CaCO₃)

Question 11

When calcium carbonate is heated, what does it break down into?

Answer 11

Calcium oxide and carbon dioxide

Question 12

When one material breaks down into two or more substances when heated, what is this called?

Answer 12

A thermal decomposition reaction

Question 13

How is cement made?

Answer 13

By heating clay and limestone together

Question 14

What is a composite material?

Answer 14

That which combines the best properties of each component material.

Question 15

Give an example of a composite material

Answer 15

Reinforced concrete

Question 16

What properties does reinforced concrete combine?

Answer 16

The strength and flexibility of the steel bars with the hardness of the concrete.

Question 17

How is copper extracted from naturally occurring copper ore?

Answer 17

By heating it with carbon

Question 18

Copper ore is called copper oxide. When copper is extracted, the oxygen is removed from the copper oxide. What is this process called?

Answer 18

Reduction

Question 19

If copper is very impure, what must happen before it can be used again?

Answer 19

Electrolysis

Question 20

What happens in electrolysis?

Answer 20

Electricity is passed through a liquid or a solution called an electrolyte, e.g. copper(II) sulfate solution, to make simpler substances.

Question 21

What is the positive electrode in electrolysis called?

Answer 21

The anode

Question 22

What is the negative electrode in electrolysis called?

Answer 22

The cathode

Question 23

What is the anode in electrolysis made of?

Answer 23

Impure copper

Question 24

What is the cathode in electrolysis made of?

Answer 24

Pure copper

Question 25

When electrons are lost, what is this called?

Answer 25

An oxidation process

Question 26

When electrons are gained, what is this called?

Answer 26

A reduction process

Question 27

What is an alloy?

Answer 27

A mixture of a metal with another element

Question 28

Give three examples of alloys

Answer 28

Bronze, steel, amalgam, solder, brass

Question 29

What is amalgam made using?

Answer 29

Mercury

Question 30

What is solder made using?

Answer 30

Lead and tin

Question 31

What is brass made using?

Answer 31

Copper and zinc

Question 32

What is a smart alloy?

Answer 32

It can be bent and twisted, and will return to its original shape when heated

Question 33

Give an example of a smart alloy, and what it is an alloy of.

Answer 33

Nitinol (an alloy of nickel and titanium)

Question 34

Why is nylon fibre used to make seat belts?

Answer 34

Because it's strong and flexible

Question 35

Why is glass used to make windscreens?

Answer 35

Because it's transparent

Question 36

Why is copper used for wiring?

Answer 36

because it's a good electrical conductor

Question 37

Why is plastic used for the trim on cars?

Answer 37

Because it's rigid and doesn't corrode

Question 38

Why is steel used to make the body of a car?

Answer 38

Because it is strong and malleable

Question 39

Why is aluminium used to make they alloy wheels on a car?

Answer 39

Because it is lightweight and doesn't corrode in moist conditions

Question 40

Why will a car made from aluminium have better fuel economy?

Answer 40

Because it is lighter

Question 41

Why will a car made from aluminium have a longer lifetime?

Answer 41

Because it doesn't corrode

Question 42

What is an oxidation reaction?

Answer 42

A reaction where oxygen is added to a substance

Question 43

Give an example of an oxidation reaction

Answer 43

Rusting

Question 44

What three things does rusting need?

Answer 44

Iron, water and oxygen (air)

Question 45

Aluminium doesn't react and corrode in air and water. What does it do instead?

Answer 45

It quickly forms a protective layer of aluminium oxide.

Question 46

What are some benefits of recycling materials?

Answer 46

Less quarrying is needed, less energy is used to extract them from ores, the limited ore reserves will last longer, recycling plastics and fibres reduces the amount of crude oil needed to make them, conserves reserves, and disposal problems are reduced

Question 47

When iron atoms are changed into iron(III) ions, what is this process called and why?

Answer 47

Oxidation, because electrons are lost