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Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Extraction of metals by reduction

I can explain how carbon can extract some metals from metal oxides by heating.

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New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Extraction of metals by reduction

I can explain how carbon can extract some metals from metal oxides by heating.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Unreactive metals are often found in the earth as pure metal.
  2. Metals that are less reactive than carbon can be extracted by heating their oxides with carbon.
  3. A metal oxide is said to be reduced by carbon because the metal oxide loses oxygen.
  4. Carbon is oxidised when it reacts with a metal oxide because it gains oxygen to form carbon dioxide.

Common misconception

Thinking that oxidation and reduction are only to do with the loss and gain of oxygen.

Oxidation is the loss of electrons or the gain of oxygen. Reduction is the gain of electrons or loss of oxygen.

Keywords

  • Metal oxide - A metal oxide is a compound containing metal and oxygen atoms chemically bonded together.

  • Oxidation - Oxidation is a type of reaction in which a substance gains oxygen or loses electrons.

  • Reduction - Reduction is a type of reaction in which a substance loses oxygen or gains electrons.

  • Ore - An ore is a rock that contains metals or metal compounds. Metal can be extracted from its ore.

  • Redox reaction - A redox reaction is a reaction where both reduction and oxidation occur.

A practical could be carried out extracting copper from copper oxide using carbon.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where are more reactive metals positioned on the reactivity series?
Correct answer: At the top.
In the middle.
At the bottom.
Q2.
What is the product of a reaction between sodium and oxygen?
Correct answer: sodium oxide
soium carbonate
sodium hydroxide
sodium chloride
Q3.
What is scientific term for a rock that contains metals or metal compounds from which we can extract metal?
stones
compounds
Correct answer: ores
alloys
leachates
Q4.
Which of the following statements about the position of metals in the reactivity series are correct?
Correct answer: Potassium is more reactive than zinc.
Gold is more reactive than aluminium.
Correct answer: Magnesium is more reactive than the non–metal carbon.
Correct answer: Copper is less reactive than the non–metal carbon.
Iron is more reactive than the non–metal carbon.
Q5.
Which substance has been oxidised in the following reaction? Magnesium + iron oxide → magnesium oxide + iron.
Correct answer: magnesium
iron
iron oxide
magnesium oxide
Q6.
Which substance has been reduced in this reaction? Magnesium + iron oxide → magnesium oxide + iron.
magnesium
iron
Correct answer: iron oxide
magnesium oxide

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the name for a type of reaction in which a substance loses oxygen or gains electrons?
Correct Answer: reduction, reduction reaction
Q2.
Which of the following methods can we use to extract platinum?
Using electrolysis to separate platinum from a platinum compound.
Reduction by carbon as platinum is more reactive than carbon.
Eeduction by carbon as platinum is less reactive than carbon.
Correct answer: No chemical extraction is necessary; platinum is found as an uncombined element.
Q3.
Which statements about the following reaction are correct? Zinc oxide + carbon → carbon dioxide + zinc.
Zinc oxide has been oxidised by carbon.
Correct answer: Zinc oxide has been reduced by carbon.
Correct answer: Carbon is oxidised.
Carbon is reduced.
Q4.
In the following reaction, which substance has been oxidised and which substance has been reduced? Lithium + copper oxide → lithium oxide and copper.
Lithium has been reduced and copper oxide has been oxidised.
Lithium has been reduced and copper oxide has been reduced.
Lithium has been oxidised and copper oxide has been oxidised.
Correct answer: Lithium has been oxidised and copper oxide has been reduced.
Q5.
How can aluminium be extracted from aluminium compounds in an alumumium ore?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Using electrolysis.
Reduction by carbon.
It is found in Earth as an uncombined element.
Q6.
Why can we extract zinc from zinc ore by heating with carbon, but not to extract magnesium from magnesium ore?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Magnesium is more reactive than carbon.
Carbon can displace magnesium from a magnesium compound.
Correct answer: Carbon can displace zinc from a zinc compound.
Zinc is more reactive than carbon.
Correct answer: Carbon cannot displace magnesium from a magnesium compound.