Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. It is also a common household utensil metal. The extraction of Aluminum from its ore is expensive because the metallurgy uses a very high amount of electricity. The extraction of Aluminum metal takes place in a number of steps, which may be summarized below. Step 1: Washing and mechanical processes employed to the ore to remove basic impurities. Step 2: Conversion of Aluminum ore (Bauxite) to powdered Alumina (Al2O3) by reaction with concentrated NaOH solution. Step 3: Dissolving Alumina in molten Cryolite(Na3AlF6) Step 4: Electrolytic refining of the solution at step 2. (Diagram below) to form pure Aluminum metal. Step 5: Collecting pure molten Aluminum at the cathode, which change later to solid Aluminum metal. As you observed, many changes are taking place in different steps for the above extraction process. Classify them as physical or chemical change and explain why? a) Step 1 __________________________________________ b) Step 2 __________________________________________ c) Step 3_____________________________________________ d) Step 4_____________________________________________ d) Step 5______________________________________________
Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. It is also a common household utensil
metal. The extraction of Aluminum from its ore is expensive because the metallurgy uses a very
high amount of electricity. The extraction of Aluminum metal takes place in a number of steps,
which may be summarized below.
Step 1: Washing and mechanical processes employed to the ore to remove basic impurities.
Step 2: Conversion of Aluminum ore (Bauxite) to powdered Alumina (Al2O3) by reaction with
concentrated NaOH solution.
Step 3: Dissolving Alumina in molten Cryolite(Na3AlF6)
Step 4: Electrolytic refining of the solution at step 2. (Diagram below) to form pure Aluminum
metal.
Step 5: Collecting pure molten Aluminum at the cathode, which change later to solid Aluminum
metal.
As you observed, many changes are taking place in different steps for the above extraction
process. Classify them as physical or chemical change and explain why?
a) Step 1 __________________________________________
b) Step 2 __________________________________________
c) Step 3_____________________________________________
d) Step 4_____________________________________________
d) Step 5______________________________________________
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