METALS

► Properties of Metals
► Extraction of Metals
► Uses of Metals
 Metals: What are Metals?
► It’srather hard to imagine a world without metals.
► Look around you – the chairs you’re sitting on
have metal frames; the cutlery you use during
recess is made of steel (an alloy of iron); the wires
in your MP3 player are made of copper, another
metal
► What exactly are metals and what makes them
suitable for the uses which we put them to?
 Metals: Physical Properties
► Metals are malleable
 They can be bent into many
shapes.
► Metals are ductile
 They can be drawn in thin
wires.
► Metals are good
conductors of
electricity
 They are made into wires
and various electrical goods
like lamps, etc.
 Metals: Physical Properties
► Metalsare good conductors
of heat
 They are made into heating
coils and cooking instruments
like woks and pans.

► Metalshave high melting

and boiling points
 They are made into filaments of
lamps which can glow white hot
and still not melt i.e. tungsten
 Exception: Mercury – The only
liquid metal
 Metals: What is an Alloy?
► An alloy is a mixture
of 2 or more metallic
elements e.g. brass,
pewter
► Some even contain
non-metallic elements
e.g. steel
► Alloys are stronger and
harder than pure
metals. Why?
 Metals: What is an Alloy?
► Pure metals are too soft because the layers
of atoms can slide over each other easily
 Metals: What is an Alloy?
► In an alloy, atoms of different metals are of
different sizes.
► This disrupts the orderly layers of atoms
and makes it much harder for the layers to
slide over each other.
 Metals: What is an Alloy?
► Only small quantities of other elements need to be
added to make a pure metal stronger and harder.
► Most metals used are alloys, because they are
tougher and stronger.

BRASS BRONZE DURALUMIN

Copper + Zinc Copper + Tin/Aluminium Copper + Aluminium

 Metals: Chemical Properties
► Reaction with Water
 Metals react with water in varying degrees of intensity,
to produce a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas [
VIDEO]

Sodium + Water
 Metals: Chemical Properties
► Reaction with Hydrochloric Acid
 Metals also react with hydrochloric acid in varying
degrees of intensity to produce a metal chloride
and hydrogen gas
 Metals: The Reactivity Series
► Not all metals react the same way
 Some react vigorously fast; others react slowly, some
don’t react at all
► Metals can be listed in order of reactivity
 The Reactivity Series
 The most reactive metal is at the top
 Metals: The Reactivity Series
►A metal high in the series
 Reacts vigorously and quickly with chemicals
 Corrodes easily
►A metal low in the series
 Does not react vigorously with chemicals
 Does not corrode easily
Least Most
Reactive Reactive
Au Ag Cu [H] Pb Sn Fe Zn Al Mg Ca Na K
 Metals: Rusting of Iron & Steel
► Corrosion of iron and steel in air  rusting

Iron + Oxygen  Iron (III) oxide

2Fe + 3O2  Fe2O3

► Conditions
 Presence of water (moisture)
 Presence of oxygen (air)
 Metals: Prevention of Rusting
► Coating with layer of
another substance,
stopping air/water
from reaching the
iron/steel underneath
 Paint (cars)
 Oil/Grease (machinery;
aids in lubrication)
 Once breached, rusting
will still occur
 Metals: Prevention of Rusting
► Coating
with another metal which corrodes in
place  Sacrificial protection
 Zinc (Galvanising; prevent rusting of ship hulls)
 Magnesium (prevent rusting of undersea steel pipes)
 Metal will rust in place even if coating layer is breached
 Metals: Prevention of Rusting
Method Use
Covering with paint Large iron and steel pipes
e.g. cars, bridges, ships
Covering with grease/oil Machinery; aids in
lubrication
Tin plating Canned food

Chromium plating Aesthetically pleasing

because chromium is
shiny
Metals: Prevention of Rusting
Method Use
Galvanising Corrugated iron sheets
for roofing
Zinc blocks Steel hulls of ships
Magnesium blocks Underground steel pipes
Alloy (Steel) Cutlery, medical
instruments, kitchen
sinks, etc
 Metals: The Extraction of Metals
► Metals
seldom occur in nature in their pure
form  commonly found as ores (ionic
compounds of the metal + a non-metal)
 Bauxite (aluminium)
 Cassiterite (tin)
 Galena (lead)
 Haematite (iron)
Metals: The Extraction of Metals
► Therock is first removed from
the mineral and the mineral is
then purified via chemical
means
 Very reactive metals
(electrolysis)
► E.g Aluminium
 Moderately reactive metals
(heated with other compounds)
► E.g. Iron
 Unreactive metals (found
uncombined)
► E.g. gold
 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
► Iron ore  haematite
► Extraction process
occurs in a blast
furnace where
temperatures can
reach over 1600 °C
Metals: The Extraction of Iron
 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
1. Coke (carbon) reacts with oxygen (air) to
form carbon dioxide & heat

C (s) + O2 (g)  CO2 (g)

 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
2. Carbon dioxide reacts with more coke
to form carbon monoxide.

C (s) + CO2 (g)  2CO (g)

 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
3. Carbon monoxide reacts with iron (III)
oxide to produce molten iron.

Fe2O3 (l) + 3CO (g)  2Fe (l) + 3CO2 (g)

 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
4. Limestone decomposes in heat to
produce calcium oxide and carbon
dioxide.

CaCO3 (s)  CO2 (g) + CaO (s)

 Metals: The Extraction of Iron
5. Impurities are present in the molten iron
i.e. silicon, sulphur & phosphorus.
Silicon is found as silicon dioxide
(acidic) which reacts with calcium oxide
(basic) to form calcium silicate (slag).

CaO (s) + SiO2 (s)  CaSiO3 (l)

 Metals: Recycling
► Metals are a non-renewable resource  Will
not last forever
 Alternatives?
►Making use of other metals in place
►Recycling
 Metals: Recycling
► Why Recycle?
 Saves cost of metal extraction from ores
 Prevents unsightly dumping of unwanted
iron/steel
 Prevents the leaching of harmful heavy metals
into soil
 Disadvantage: Recycling metals can
sometimes be polluting.
Metals: Recycling