Extracting Metals in the Middle of Reactivity Series
Zinc oxide is...
Question
Zinc oxide is reduced to zinc metal by heating with:
A
carbon
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B
oxygen
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C
CuSO4
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D
water
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Solution
The correct option is A carbon Zinc metal is in the middle of the activity series. Such metals are present mostly as sulphides and carbonates. Since it is easier to obtain metals from their oxides, these sulphides and carbonates are first converted to oxides through calcination or roasting. After that, ZnO is reduced to the corresponding metal using suitable reducing agents such as carbon.