Chemistry - Metals

Potassium Sodium Lithium Calcium Magnesium Aluminium Carbon Zinc Iron Hydrogen Copper Silver Gold Platinum

When a more reactive element replaces a less reactive element in a compound

Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides

Oxidisation reactions:

• Loss of electrons

• Loss of hydrogen

• Gain Oxygen

Reduction reactions:

• Gain electrons

• Gain Hydrogen

• Loss of Oxygen

When oxidisation and reduction take place at the same time

Salt + Hydrogen

An ore is a rock that contains minerals or metals

They are planted in areas with low-level copper compounds. They absorb the copper through the routes

They are burnt and the ash left behind contains copper compounds

Through leaching or bioleaching

The extraction of metals from their ores through the use of living organisms

The bacteria are used at catalysts to oxidise metal sulfides

The nutrients in the ore

Displacement with scrap iron or electrolysis

• Can be used on low level ores

• Avoids mining

• Fewer fossil fuels burnt

• Carbon neural

• Slow

• Large amounts of land needed

An alloy is a metal combining 2 or more metallic elements

In pure elements, the atoms are in rows and layers making it easy for them to slide over one another however alloys interrupt the rows preventing atoms from sliding past one another

Rust is iron oxide

Rust occurs when iron is in contact with oxygen and water

4Fe + 3O2 + 6H2O → 4Fe(OH)3

• Coating iron in plastic or paint

• Coating in a less reactive metal

• Sacrificial protection

• Galvanising

• Alloys

Sacrificial protection involves attaching a block of a more reactive metal so that the oxygen will react with that instead

Coating in zinc