Metals are extracted from ores in the Earth’s crust - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 3 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 3
Metals are extracted from ores in the Earth’s crust.
Some ores contain metal carbonates and some ores contain metal oxides.
3 (a) (i) Name the type of reaction tha... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Metals are extracted from ores in the Earth’s crust - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 3 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
3 (a) (i) Name the type of reaction that happens when a metal carbonate is heated.
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Answer
The type of reaction that occurs when a metal carbonate is heated is called a thermal decomposition. In this reaction, the metal carbonate breaks down into its constituent parts when heat is applied.
Step 2
3 (a) (ii) Which solid product is formed when copper carbonate is heated?
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Answer
When copper carbonate is heated, the solid product formed is copper oxide. This is a result of the thermal decomposition of copper carbonate.
Step 3
3 (b) (i) Explain the results for potassium carbonate.
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The potassium carbonate did not change or decompose upon heating. This can be explained by the fact that the temperature applied was not high enough to induce a reaction. The mass remained the same and the limewater did not turn cloudy, indicating that no carbon dioxide was produced.
Step 4
3 (b) (ii) Suggest how the reactivity series can be used to predict which metal carbonate reacts most easily when heated.
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The reactivity series ranks metals according to their reactivity, with more reactive metals having a tendency to decompose their carbonates more easily. Therefore, to predict which metal carbonate reacts most easily when heated, one would look to the higher positions on the reactivity series.
Step 5
3 (c) (i) Complete the sentence.
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Iron ores must contain enough iron to make it economical to extract the metal/iron.
Step 6
3 (c) (ii) Complete and balance the equation for a reaction to produce iron from iron oxide.
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The balanced equation for the reaction is:
ightarrow 4Fe + 3CO_2 $$
Step 7
3 (c) (iii) Give two reasons why iron produced in a blast furnace is converted into steel.
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Iron from the blast furnace is typically brittle, making it unsuitable for many applications.
Steel is generally stronger and more flexible, allowing it to be used in construction and manufacturing.
Step 8
3 (c) (iv) Give three reasons why a steel car body should be recycled and not reused or sent to landfill.
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Recycling conserves natural resources by reducing the need to extract iron ores.
Recycling minimizes pollution and helps reduce the environmental impact compared to landfilling.
Material recovery from recycling can lessen landfill use, which is essential as landfill sites often face limitations in space.
