During the industrial extraction of titanium, titanium(IV) oxide (TiO2\text{TiO}_2TiO2) is converted to titanium(IV) chloride (TiCl4\text{TiCl}_4TiCl4), which is then reduced to titanium metal using magnesium at high temperatures.
Which statement correctly explains a chemical or industrial aspect of this extraction process?
The reduction of TiCl4\text{TiCl}_4TiCl4 is carried out under an atmosphere of argon to prevent the magnesium and titanium from reacting with oxygen or nitrogen in the air.
Magnesium acts as an oxidising agent in this process because it accepts electrons from the titanium(IV) species.
Titanium(IV) chloride (TiCl4\text{TiCl}_4TiCl4) is an ionic solid with a high melting point, which must be melted before the reduction can take place.
The extraction of titanium is a highly efficient continuous process, which keeps the cost of the metal relatively low.
Practise Edexcel GCSE Chemistry Obtaining and using metals with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 100 questions, matched to the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry (1CH0) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.