Question

The purpose of smelting an ore is to _________ it.
A. Oxidise
B. Reduce
C. Neutralise
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: In the process of smelting fused metals are obtained from its ore by a reducing agent. A reducing agent is defined as the compound or element which reduces another compound.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
The process of smelting involves heating and melting of the ore, mainly oxide ores. In this process a metal oxide ore is heated and melted in presence of a reducing agent to form fused or molten metal. Here the reducing agent reduces the metal oxide to fused metal and oxidises itself to oxide.

Let us take an example.
When ferrous oxide an oxide ore of iron is reduced in presence of carbon a reducing agent iron metal is produced.
The reaction can be given as follows:
$F{{e}_{2}}{{O}_{3}}+3C\to 3CO+2Fe$
In this reaction ferrous oxide reacts with three moles of carbon atom which acts as a reducing agent to produce three moles of carbon monoxide and two moles of iron metal.
Thus the correct option is B.

Note: In the process of smelting only low electropositive metals like iron, platinum, lead, cadmium etc are produced. These metals are produced from their oxide in molten state.