This question is about metals - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2015 - Paper 1
Question 4
This question is about metals.
Figure 4 shows the metals used to make pylons and the wires of overhead cables.
Figure 5
An ore contains a metal compound.
A metal... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This question is about metals - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2015 - Paper 1
Step 1
Explain why Stage 2 needs to be done.
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Answer
Stage 2 is necessary because the ore may contain impurities or other non-metallic components that need to be removed. This separation is essential to concentrate the metal or metal compound, ensuring that the extraction process effectively yields the desired metal.
Step 2
Cast iron is not suitable for the manufacture of pylons. Give one reason why.
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Answer
Cast iron is brittle, which means it is prone to breaking or shattering under stress. This characteristic makes it unsuitable for the structural demands of pylons.
Step 3
Describe how cast iron is converted into steel. Use Figure 6 to help you answer this question.
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In the furnace, oxygen is introduced to the cast iron. The oxygen reacts with the carbon in the cast iron, reducing the carbon content. This process converts the cast iron into steel by oxidizing carbon and generating waste gases.
Step 4
State one property that makes aluminium more suitable than copper for overhead cables.
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Aluminium has a lower density compared to copper, making it lighter and easier to handle for overhead cable applications.
Step 5
How can you tell that copper is a transition metal and aluminium is not a transition metal from the position of each metal in the periodic table?
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Copper is located in the central block of the periodic table, specifically in Group 11, which is characteristic of transition metals. In contrast, aluminium is in Group 13, which does not exhibit the properties typical of transition metals.
Step 6
Explain why.
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Iron is more reactive than copper. Therefore, when added to a solution of copper salts, iron will displace copper from the solution due to its higher reactivity, resulting in the extraction of copper.
