A metallurgical engineer is reviewing processes for extracting metals from their oxides. They note that while iron can be extracted by reduction with carbon in a blast furnace, this process cannot be used for aluminium.
Explain, with reference to the relative reactivity of the elements involved, why carbon reduction is unsuitable for extracting aluminium from aluminium oxide, and state the process that must be used instead.
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.