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Zinc can be extracted from its ore by electrolysis or by heating the ore with carbon - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 4
Zinc can be extracted from its ore by electrolysis or by heating the ore with carbon. Give a reason for the method that is used. (e) Figure 2 gives information abou... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Zinc can be extracted from its ore by electrolysis or by heating the ore with carbon - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Give a reason for the method that is used.
Answer
The extraction of zinc from its ore using heating with carbon is favored because it is a more economical method compared to electrolysis. Electrolysis requires significant energy input to break the bonds in the ore, making the process expensive. In contrast, heating with carbon allows for the reduction of zinc oxide to zinc metal at a lower cost.
Step 2
Give two reasons why it could be more important to recycle tin than to recycle aluminium.
Answer
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Tin has a significantly higher cost per kilogram (£12.60) compared to aluminium (£1.31). This higher value makes recycling tin more economically beneficial, as it can be sold for a greater profit.
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Tin is much rarer in the Earth's crust (0.0002%) compared to aluminium (8%). The scarcity of tin means that preserving existing tin resources through recycling is critical to prevent depletion.