IGCSE Coordinated Science: Extraction of Metals
Extraction of Metals
Describe the use of carbon in the extraction of some metals from their ores.
- Carbon is oxidised to Carbon Dioxide
- Coke, which consists mostly of carbon, is burned to give off heat.
Describe the essential reactions in the extraction of iron in the blast furnace.
Blast Furnace
By the way, you by no means need to recognize everything in the blast furnace. This is just for visual appeal and to give you some sense of what a blast furnace is.
- Hot blast from Cowper stoves
- Melting zone
- Reduction zone of ferrous oxide
- Reduction zone of ferric oxide
- Pre-heating zone
- Feed of ore, limestone and coke
- Exhaust gases
- Column of ore, coke and limestone
- Removal of slag
- Tapping of molten pig iron
- Collection of waste gases
Whats Inside?
Iron Ore
The major component of iron is hematite, which is mainly composed of Iron (III) oxide, mixed with some sand and other compounds
Limestone
Mainly composed of Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3
Coke
Mainly made from coal, and it is composed nearly out of pure carbon.
Stage 1: The coke is burned, which gives off heat.
The hot air starts burning the coke and allows it to react the oxygen in the air to produce Carbon Dioxide
Carbon + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide
C (s) + O2 (g) → CO2 (g)
Stage 2: Carbon Monoxide is made
The Carbon Dioxide subsequently reacts with more coke:
Carbon + Carbon Dioxide → Carbon Monoxide
C(s) + CO2 →CO2 (g)
Stage 3: Iron Oxide (III) is reduced.
Only in this step does extraction actually occur.
The Carbon Monoxide reacts with the iron ore, producing liquid iron, something we actually want.
Iron (III) oxide + Carbon Monoxide → Iron + Carbon Dioxide
Fe2O3 (s) + 3CO (g) → 2Fe (l) + 3CO2 (g)
Limestone
The limestone breaks down in the heat of the furnace
CaCO3 → CaO + CO2
Calcium Carbonate → Calcium Oxide + Carbon Dioxide
The calcium oxide that is formed reacts with sand, which is mainly silicon dioxide.
This reaction forms slag which runs down the furnace and then floats on the iron.
Relate the method of extraction of a metal from its ore to its position in the reactivity series.
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