C9 Metals in the Periodic Table

Study Notes

Metals occupy the majority of the Periodic Table, located to the left of the zigzag line.
They exhibit excellent thermal conductivity due to delocalised electrons, while non-metals are poor conductors without free electrons.
Metals are also good electrical conductors; again, the presence of delocalised electrons facilitates charge movement.
Metals are malleable and ductile, enabling them to be shaped and drawn into wires; this property is due to the ability of metal ion layers to slide over each other.
They typically possess high melting and boiling points due to strong electrostatic attractions in metallic bonds, unlike non-metals which have low melting and boiling points due to weak intermolecular forces.

Alloys are mixtures of metals with other elements, often resulting in improved strength, hardness, and resistance to corrosion and heat.
Pure metals are soft due to easily sliding atomic layers; alloys have an irregular structure that disrupts this sliding, making them stronger but potentially more brittle.

Reactive metals react vigorously with cold water, producing metal hydroxide and hydrogen (e.g., sodium).
Less reactive metals react with steam instead, yielding metal oxides and hydrogen (e.g., magnesium).
Many metals react with dilute acids to form salts and hydrogen gas (e.g., zinc with hydrochloric acid).
The reactivity series ranks metals based on their reactivity; more reactive metals have more vigorous reactions.

A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt solution (e.g., magnesium can displace copper from copper sulfate, forming magnesium sulfate and copper).

Rusting occurs in the presence of water and oxygen, yielding hydrated iron(III) oxide.
Prevention methods include barrier methods (paint, oil, plastic) and galvanising (coating with zinc), as well as sacrificial protection using more reactive metals to safeguard less reactive metals.

Aluminium: Lightweight and strong, used in aeroplane bodies and power cables; resistant to corrosion due to protective aluminum oxide layer.
Copper: Excellent conductor of electricity and heat; used in wiring, pots, and as antibacterial surfaces in hospitals.

Metals exist as native elements or in ores. Unreactive metals (like gold) can often be mined directly, while reactive metals (like iron) are extracted from ores like haematite.
The extraction method depends on the metal's reactivity; metals above carbon require electrolysis, while those below can be reduced with carbon.

Iron is extracted from haematite (Fe2O3) in a blast furnace using coke, limestone, and air.
Carbon monoxide reduces iron ore to molten iron, which is tapped off from the furnace.
Limestone removes impurities by forming slag through reactions with silicon dioxide.

Aluminium is derived from bauxite via electrolysis due to its reactivity.
Bauxite is purified to aluminium oxide, then dissolved in molten cryolite to lower melting point and reduce energy use.
Significant electricity is needed for the electrolysis process, with aluminium collecting at the bottom of the cell after reduction.