Question

Explain with a suitable example the metals used to reduce the following-:
a)oxides of less reactive metals
b)oxides of moderate reactive metals
c)oxides of highly reactive metals

Answer 1

(i) Oxides of less reactive metals— these less reactive metal oxides will not usually displace hydrogen from acids and can be extracted by heating the oxide in hydrogen, though is rarely done e.g. for cost (not as cheap as coke/carbon) and safety reasons (hydrogen very explosive in air).

 

(ii) Oxides of moderately reactive metals-- these moderately reactive metal oxides can be extracted by heating the oxide with carbon or carbon monoxide.

 

(iii) Oxides of highly reactive metals—these reactive metal oxides cannot be usually extracted by carbon or carbon monoxide reduction and are usually extracted by electrolysis. In sense this means that these reactive metals in the reactivity series cannot be 'displaced' from their compounds by carbon.

Answer 2

Hey dear,

● Answer with explanation -
# Reduction of oxides of less reactive metals -
Less reactive metals can be reduced by simple heating. They don't need any other metal for reduction.
e.g. 2Cu2O + Cu2S ---> 3Cu + SO2

# Reduction of oxides of moderately reactive metals -
Moderately reactive metals can be reduced by heating with carbon.
e.g. ZnO + C ---> Zn + CO

# Reduction of oxides of high reactive metals -
High reactive metals can be reduced by electrolysis of their molten chlorides.
e.g. MgCl2 ---> Mg + Cl2


Hope this helps you...