C1a+2+Rocks+and+Metals

In the **Rocks and Metals** section, we looked at where metals come from, how we can extract them and how we can use them once we've got them.

The main points we covered involved how we actually get metal from it ore (a rock containing a metal or metal compound). We use our knowledge of the Reactivity Series to do this. By heating a metal compound (such as a metal oxide) with carbon we cause a displace reaction to take place. Here, a more reactive element (Carbon) displaces a less reactive metal from its compound. This leaves the metal on its own for us to use, and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. You should make sure you understand this - it's simplified by this equation:


 * metal oxide + carbon → metal + carbon dioxide**

For example:


 * lead oxide + carbon → lead + carbon dioxide**

We call the removal of oxygen from the metal compound a **reduction reaction**.

Any metal that is less reactive than carbon can be extracted like this (although there are other techniques). Make sure you know the order of elements in the reactivity series. source: [|bbc bitesize]

Use the lesson powerpoints to revise any bits you need.