In the industrial extraction of titanium, titanium(IV) chloride (TiCl4TiCl_4TiCl4) is reduced by magnesium at temperatures exceeding 900∘C900 ^\circ\text{C}900∘C.
Which of the following statements correctly explains a key requirement or design feature of this extraction process?
A dry nitrogen atmosphere is maintained in the reactor to prevent the titanium from oxidising.
Magnesium is chosen as the reducing agent because it is significantly cheaper to produce than carbon.
An inert atmosphere of argon is used because both magnesium and titanium react with nitrogen and oxygen at high temperatures.
The reduction reaction is operated as a continuous process to minimise labour costs and maximise throughput.
110 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 5.1 Obtaining and using metals, covering 5.1.1 The reactivity series of metals, 5.1.2 Displacement reactions as redox reactions, 5.1.3 Extracting metals from ores by reduction, 5.1.4 Biological methods of metal extraction, 5.1.5 Resistance to oxidation and recycling metals, and 5.1.6 Life cycle assessment. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.