Question

What chemical process is used for obtaining a metal from its oxide?

Answer 1

Extraction of metal:

• Extraction of metal can be easily done by the reduction process.

Reduction process:

• It is a process in which the reduction of ore is done using carbon/coke.
• This process is usually carried out at higher temperatures.
• Example: Extraction of Zinc from Zinc oxide.

Chemical reaction:

• When Zinc oxide $\left(\mathrm{ZnO}\right)$ is heated at a higher temperature in presence of carbon $\left(\mathrm{C}\right)$, Zinc metal $\left(\mathrm{Zn}\right)$ is obtained along with Carbon monoxide $\left(\mathrm{CO}\right)$ as a by-product.
• The chemical equation can be depicted as:

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{ZnO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+\mathrm{C}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{163\mathrm{K}}{\to }\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+\mathrm{CO}\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ (\mathrm{Zinc}\mathrm{oxide})\left(\mathrm{Carbon}\right)\left(\mathrm{Zinc}\right)(\mathrm{Carbon}\mathrm{monoxide}) \end{gathered}$$