Extracting metals from their ores
2 marks · EasyExplain, using the reactivity series, why silver is sometimes found as a metal in the Earth's crust, but zinc must be extracted from its ore.
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Silver is less reactive and can be found in the Earth's crust as an uncombined metal. Zinc is more reactive, so it is always found combined and must be extracted from its ore.
Also accept: Silver is unreactive so found as the metal; zinc is more reactive so found as a compound
Common mistakes: Reverses the argument
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Marking points
B1 · 1 mark · States that silver is (very) unreactive and can be found as the metal/natively/uncombined.
B1 · 1 mark · States that zinc is more reactive and is found as a compound/ore and must be extracted.
Worked solution
Silver is a less reactive metal, so it can exist in the Earth's crust as an uncombined (native) metal.
Zinc is more reactive and is always found as a compound, so it must be extracted from its ore.