C9 Metals in the Periodic Table

Questions and Answers

Which of the following statements about metals is true?

Metals can be easily broken when solid.

Metals are good electrical conductors. (correct)

Metals have low melting and boiling points.

Metals are poor thermal conductors.

All metals are reactive with water.

False

What is an alloy?

A mixture of a metal with other elements.

Iron rusts due to a reaction between iron, oxygen, and ______.

water Signup and view all the answers

Match the following metals with their extraction methods:

Potassium = Electrolysis of molten salts Zinc = Heating with a reducing agent Iron = Reduction in a blast furnace Aluminium = Electrolysis of molten aluminium oxide Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of galvanizing iron?

To protect it from rusting. Signup and view all the answers

Copper is a reactive metal.

False Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a displacement reaction?

A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main ore of iron?

Haematite. Signup and view all the answers

The reactivity series helps to determine the order of ______ of metals.

reactivity Signup and view all the answers

Aluminium is unreactive and does not form compounds.

False Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

General Properties of Metals

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

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.

General Chemical Properties of Metals

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.

Displacement 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 of Iron

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.

Uses of 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.

Extraction of Metals

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 Extraction

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 Extraction

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.

Description

Explore the characteristics of metals outlined in the Periodic Table in this quiz. Understand the general physical properties that distinguish metals from non-metals, focusing on conductivity and electron behavior. Test your knowledge on where metals are located on the Periodic Table.