CHEMISTRY REVISION

METALS
DEFINITIONS
Oxidation adding oxygen to an element to make an oxide compound
Reduction removing oxygen from an oxide compound
Electrode a conductor through which electricity enters or leaves a
molten compound
Anode the positive electrode which attracts negative ions (anions),
usually non-metals, where they lose electrons
Cathode the negative electrode which attracts positive ions (cations),
usually metals, where they gain electrons
Electrolyte an ionic compound that is molten or in solution which has an
electric current passed through it

ORES
Rocks found in the earths crust naturally contain metal compounds with
other elements. If the rock contains enough metal in the compound to
make it profitable to mine, then it is called an ore. Metal ores will run out
they are finite resources.
Some unreactive metals can be found uncombined e.g. gold, silver,
platinum but the more reactive they get, the more difficult to extract.

DISPLACEMENT REACTIONS
Atoms of a more reactive metal will push atoms of a less reactive metal
out of a compound. This is called DISPLACEMENT and is always and
exothermic reaction. We can use temperature changes to detect whether
a reaction has taken place.
Example: Iron nail in copper (II) chloride solution
Fe + CuCl2 > FeCl3 + Cu
REACTIVITY SERIES
Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminium, Carbon, Zinc, Iron,
Tin, Lead

COMPETITION REACTIONS
The Thermit Reaction is a small scale competition reaction used to make
iron. It uses zinc to take the oxygen away from iron oxide.
Fe2O3 + 3Zn > 2Fe + 3ZnO
In another form of the Thermit Reaction aluminium is used instead of zinc.
This is even more reactive and exothermic.
Fe2O3 + 2Al > Al2O3 + 2Fe

THE BLAST FURNACE

Carbon will win against anything below it in the reactivity series.

For extracting iron on a large scale it is cheaper to use a carbon reaction

rather the Thermit Reaction. The container used for this is the Blast
Furnace. The following raw materials are used:
Iron ore iron is extracted from it
using coke
Coke (carbon) used to extract iron
from iron ore
Limestone (calcium carbonate)
added to remove impurities from the
iron ore such as sand (silica)
The limestone decomposes in
the Blast Furnace to calcium
oxide
CaCO3 >heat> CaO + CO2
The calcium oxide reacts with
silica to make calcium silicate
(slag) which is used as blocks
for buildings and roads
Oxygen reacts with the coke to
make carbon monoxide
The main reduction reaction in the furnace involves carbon
monoxide
Fe2O3 + 3CO > 2Fe +3CO2
This process is continuous with new raw materials added and products
removed all the time due to the time and cost of heating up the furnace.

ELECTROLYSIS
Electrolysis is the breaking down of a compound when molten or in
solution by passing an electric current through it and is mainly used with
metals that are above carbon on the reactivity series (until electricity was
discovered no one had seen sodium or potassium in their pure forms).
An electric current is a flow of charged particles and so electrolysis only
works on the compounds that contain charged particles that are free to
move. This means that electrolysis will only work on molten or in solution
ionic compounds as they contain charged particles, ions. When liquefied
the positive and negative ions in the compounds are free to move.
During electrolysis the positive metals ions move towards the negative
cathode to gain electrons whereas the negative non-metal ions move
towards the positive anode where they lose electrons.
Aluminium is higher than carbon on the reactivity scale and thus cannot
be extracted using it. Instead, as with many other metals, electrolysis is
used to do this. A large amount of energy is required to melt aluminium
ore (aluminium oxide). This temperature is brought down to about 1000c
using a compound called cryolite. As the anode is usually made of carbon/
graphite, when the hot oxygen from aluminium oxide forms there it burns

it away to form CO2. The anodes have to be replaced regularly because of

this. This and the cost of the electricity and heat (which are very
expensive) make aluminium expensive to attract.
Al3+ + 3e- > Al
2O2- - 4e- > O2

ISSUES OF SUSTAINABILITY

Destruction of landscape digging up and processing (mines/

extraction or processing plants)
Pollution from mining, processing and transport (raw materials and
products)
Energy use from fossil fuels being burned contributes to greenhouse
gas emission and climate change (transport/ extraction such as
blast furnaces etc.)
Expensive due to energy costs (extraction/ running etc.)
Toxic gases from the extraction process (carbon monoxide from the
blast furnace)
Disposal (landfill)
Recycling cheaper than extraction of many metals, makes use
more sustainable, reduces pollution + waste + disposal, reduces
energy used less fossil fuels used so less CO2

PROPERTIES AND USES

Aluminium strong, low density, good conductor of heat and

electricity, resistant to corrosion
Copper very good conductor of heat and electricity, malleable and
ductile, attractive colour and lustre
Titanium hard, strong, low density, resistant to corrosion, high
melting point

ALLOYS
An alloy is a mixture of metals, or metals with certain non-metals. It is
made by mixing them when molten. The composition of the mixture is
chosen to give the best properties for the use of an alloy.

NANO-PARTICLES (1nm = 1X10-9m)

Nano-particles often exhibit properties not shown by the bulk form as in
the following examples:
Silver have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties (used
in hygiene and medicine)
Gold used as a catalyst in experiments to oxidise (remove) harmful
pollutants (environmental benefit)
Zinc oxidises particles, used to reflect UVA & UVB in sunscreen but
also reflects visible light nano-particles absorb visible light (no
white streaks (also titanium dioxide))

Future developments include using nano-particles in electrical car

batteries or in solar cells. However, there are potential risks with nanoparticles especially with long-term effects:
New science therefore concerns about wide application as potential
problems may not be known as nano form has different properties to
bulk form
May pass through skin and have adverse biological effect
Nanotubes may have toxic effect (like asbestos fibres)
Easily dispersed into the environment potential/ unknown hazards
to plants and animals
On the other hand, a lot of this fear is speculative and more research
needs to be done to see if there are any real dangers.