Question

Explain the method of reduction of low reactivity metals with one example​

Answer 1

The extraction of the low reactive metals such as silver, platinum, and gold.

• The basic property of these metals are that they are in free state
• They have low reactivity.
• For example: 2HgS + 3$O2$ → 2HgO + 2SO2
• Here the oxides of metals are reduced by heating the metals and give the other products.

Answer 2

Method of reduction of low reactivity metals:

• The metal with low reactivity are present in the bottom of the reactivity series.
• Some of the low reactive metals are gold, silver, platinum, mercury and copper.
• The metal in the bottom are majorly un-reactive, they can only be reduced by continuous heating process.

Mercury is obtained by the following process:

• 2HgS + 3O₂ → 2HgO + 2SO₂
• 2HgO → 2Hg + O₂

Copper is obtained by the following process:

• 2Cu₂S + 3O₂ → 2CuO₂ + 2SO₂
• 2CuO₂ + Cu₂S → 6Cu + SO₂