Chemistry: Metals Low in Activity Series

Questions and Answers

What type of metals are considered low in the activity series?

Metals that are very unreactive.

What process is used to convert sulfide ores into metal oxides?

Roasting.

What happens to zinc carbonate when it undergoes calcination?

It is heated to form zinc oxide and carbon dioxide.

Describe the reduction process of zinc oxide using carbon.

Zinc oxide is reduced to metallic zinc by heating with carbon. Signup and view all the answers

What is the chemical equation for the roasting of zinc sulfide?

ZnS + 3O_2 → 2ZnO + 2SO_2. Signup and view all the answers

How can metals in the middle of the activity series be extracted?

They are often extracted from their oxides using suitable reducing agents. Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of heating cinnabar in air?

Cinnabar is converted to mercuric oxide and then to mercury. Signup and view all the answers

What role do highly reactive metals play in the reduction of other metal oxides?

They can act as reducing agents. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Extracting Metals Low in the Activity Series

Metals low in the activity series exhibit very low reactivity.
Oxides of these metals can be reduced solely through heating.
Cinnabar (HgS) is a mercury ore; when heated in air, it forms mercuric oxide (HgO) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
Reaction for mercury extraction:
(2HgS(s) + 3O_2(g) \xrightarrow{Heat} 2HgO(s) + 2SO_2(g))
Copper primarily exists as Cu₂S; extraction requires heating in air.
Reaction for copper extraction involves the conversion of Cu₂S to Cu₂O, followed by reduction:
(2Cu_2S(s) + 3O_2(g) \xrightarrow{Heat} 2Cu_2O(s) + 2SO_2(g))
(2CuO + CuS \xrightarrow{Heat} 6Cu(s) + SO_2(g))

Extracting Metals in the Middle of the Activity Series

Metals like iron, zinc, lead, and copper display moderate reactivity.
These metals are often found as sulfides or carbonates in nature.
Conversion of metal sulfides and carbonates to oxides is necessary before reduction.
Roasting is used to convert sulfide ores into oxides, requiring strong heating in excess air.
Example reaction:
(ZnS(s) + 3O_2(g) \xrightarrow{Heat} 2ZnO(s) + 2SO_2(g))
Calcination converts carbonate ores to oxides under limited air.
Example reaction:
(ZnCO_3(s) \xrightarrow{Heat} ZnO(s) + CO_2(g))
The reduction of metal oxides to metals can be achieved using suitable reducing agents, commonly carbon.
Reaction for zinc oxide reduction with carbon:
(ZnO(s) + C(s) \rightarrow Zn(s) + CO(g))
Reduction processes involve oxidation and reduction principles previously discussed.
Displacement reactions can also facilitate the reduction of metal oxides, using highly reactive metals like sodium, calcium, or aluminum as reducing agents.

Description

This quiz focuses on the properties and reactions of metals that are low in the activity series, specifically their unreactivity and reduction processes. You will explore examples like cinnabar and the thermal reduction of mercuric oxide. Test your understanding of these concepts and related reactions.