Question

Assertion (A): Aluminium acts as a reducing agent in thermite process.
Reason (R): Highly reactive metals such as Na, Ca, Al, etc., can be used as reducing agents to displace metals of lower reactivity from their compound​.

• A. Both A and R are false
• B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
• C. A is true but R is false
• D. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer 1

The correct option is D Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) reacts with aluminium to form aluminium oxide, molten iron and a lot of heat is given out. This reaction is known as thermite reaction. The reaction is as follows:

${\text{Fe}}_2{\text{O}}_3\text{(s)}+2\text{Al (s)}\to 2\text{Fe (l)}+{\text{Al}}_2{\text{O}}_3\text{(s)}+\text{Heat}$

Al acts as a reducing agent in this reaction. So, assertion is true.
Highly reactive metals such as Na, Ca, Al, etc. are at the top of the reactivity series and can be used as reducing agents to displace metals of lower reactivity from their compound​s. So, reason is also true and it is the correct explanation of assertion.