Question

Suggest some metals which can be extracted electrolytically.

Answer 1

Hint: The metals which have the property of high reactivity can be extracted electrolytically. The metals which have highly reactive forms the stable oxides and other compounds which can be removed by electricity.

Complete Step by step answer: Metals are extracted from the ores which are found from the crust of the earth. The metals which are highly reactive metals are extracted from the process of electrolysis. These metals react with the surrounding quickly and form stable oxides and other compounds which require a lot of electric current to reduce them to the metal.
Therefore, the metals which are on the top of the reactivity series such as sodium, potassium, calcium, lithium, magnesium, aluminium are the metals which can be extracted electrolytically.
Let’s see how does the aluminium is extracted by the process of electrolysis:
The ore of aluminium is bauxite. The bauxite is then purified to produce aluminium oxide, a white powder from which the aluminium can be extracted. The ions of the aluminium oxide must be free to move so that the electricity can pass through it. The melting point of aluminium oxide has a high melting point. During the process of electrolysis, the positively charged aluminium ions gain electrons from the cathode and from molten aluminium and oxide ions lose electrons at the anode and form oxygen molecules. The oxygen reacts with the carbon in the electrodes, forming carbon dioxide which bubbles off. Carbon is therefore lost from the positive electrodes, so they must be replaced frequently. This adds to the cost of the process.

Note: Electrolysis is the process of chemical decomposition produced by passing the electric current from the liquid or solution containing ions. It is the exchange of atoms and ions from the external circuit by adding or removing electrons.