- Reactivity series: potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, carbon, zinc, iron, hydrogen, copper.
- We want to extract metals but metals are found as compounds e.g. sodium oxide or copper oxide.
- If the metal is less reactive than carbon, react with carbon.
- e.g. copper oxide + carbon --> copper + carbon dioxide
- If the metal is more reactive than carbon, use Electrolysis.
- Phytoextraction: grow plant so it absorbs metal compounds. Burn plant. Use the ash.
- Bacterial extraction: bacteria absorbs metal compounds. Use it to produce leachate solution.
- Life-cycle assessments: factor in carbon footprint from: finding raw materials, making, using, transporting the product, and disposing the product.
- LCAs require value judgements so they may be subjective.
- Recycling or reusing limited materials saves resources, energy and waste.
- Glass and metal can be melted and reshaped and reused.
Separate Science Chemistry Students Only (In Progress)
- the trade-off between rate of production of a desired product and position of equilibrium in some industrially important processes
- e commercially used conditions for an industrial process are related to the availability and cost of raw materials and energy supplies, control of equilibrium position and rate
- Haber Process