Question

Reduction to free metal: some of the methods commonly used to get free metal from the concentrates ore are below.

Smelting: The process of extracting a metal in the state of fusions is called smelting. In this process, the ore is mixed with carbon and heated in a suitable furnace

Electrolytic reduction process: This process is used in the extraction of the alkali and alkaline earth metals, zinc and aluminium.

Self-reduction process: The sulphide ores of less electropositive metals like Hg, Pb, Cu etc., are heated in the air so as to convert part of the ore into oxide or sulphate which then reacts with the remaining sulphide ore to give the metal.

The metal extracted by electrolysis of its fused salt is :

• A. $Fe$
• B. $Pb$
• C. $Na$
• D. $Cu$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $Na$

Na can not be obtained by electrolysis of the aqueous solution of salt as hydrogen ions have higher reduction potential than $N{a}^{+}$ so hydrogen ions will reduce first and we will get hydrogen gas instead of Na metal by electrolysis of the aqueous solution,

So sodium metal is extracted by electrolysis of its fused salt.

$NaCl\to N{a}^{+}+C{l}^{-}$

At cathode:

$N{a}^{+}+e^{-}\to Na$