Question

State one industrial application of reduction.

Answer 1

There are several different methods that are used for extracting the metals from their ores which include reduction of metals, oxides with carbon reduction or electrolytic reduction of the molten metal chlorides, oxides and hydroxides. Methods used for a metal depend upon its physical and chemical properties.

Complete answer:
The type of extraction method to be used for the extraction of the metals from their ores depends upon its position within the reactivity series. Metals that lie below the carbon within the reactivity series are often extracted from their respective oxides by heating them with carbon.

In this reaction, carbon gets oxidised to $\mathop {CO}\nolimits_2$ while the metal oxide gets reduced to its respective metal. except for the metals that lie above carbon in thee reactivity series, their respective oxides can't be reduced by heating it with $\mathop {CO}\nolimits_2$ . For extracting these metals, electrolytic reduction of their respective molten chlorides, oxides or hydroxides is performed. allow us to explain the electrolytic reduction method with the assistance of an electrolytic reduction method with the assistance of an example. Sodium is extracted by electrolytic reduction of molten common salt. When the present is skilled fused common salt, sodium ion is reduced at the cathode while chloride ions are oxidised at the anode.
Thus, these metals are more electropositive than carbon. Then, the metals which are highly electropositive are extracted by electrolytic reduction.

Note: In the reactivity series of metals, metals are arranged from the foremost reactive to the smallest amount reactive or decreasing reactivity. This series is predicated upon the reactivity of various metals and nonmetals which has been made after carefully observing their reactions with water, acids and other metallic compounds.