This question is about copper and alloys of copper - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 8 - 2021 - Paper 2
Question 8
This question is about copper and alloys of copper.
Solders are alloys used to join metals together.
Some solders contain copper.
Table 4 shows information about ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This question is about copper and alloys of copper - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 8 - 2021 - Paper 2
Step 1
Suggest one reason why solder B and solder C are now used more frequently than solder A for health reasons.
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Answer
Solder A contains lead, which is toxic or harmful to health. The use of lead-based solders is being reduced in favor of safer alternatives due to health concerns.
Step 2
Suggest one reason why solders B and C have different melting points.
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Answer
The proportions of metals in the solders are different. Solder B contains lead, which has a higher melting point compared to the metals in solder C.
Step 3
Suggest three reasons why recycling scrap copper is a more sustainable way of obtaining copper than processing copper ores.
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Answer
Recycling conserves copper ores since they are finite resources.
Recycling uses less energy compared to the extraction of copper from ores.
Recycling reduces waste and the environmental impact associated with mining.
Step 4
Describe how copper is extracted from low-grade ores by phyto mining.
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Copper is extracted from low-grade ores by growing plants on land containing copper ores. The plants absorb the copper ions through their roots. Once the plants are mature, they are burnt to produce ash, which contains copper compounds. The copper is then extracted from the ash using acid, producing a solution of copper compounds. Electrolysis can be performed on this solution to obtain pure copper.
Step 5
Suggest two reasons why phyto mining has not been widely used to extract copper.
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High-grade ores are still available, making traditional mining more economically viable.
Phyto mining takes a long time to extract significant amounts of copper.
