Question

Which method do you suggest for the extraction of high reactivity metals? Give reasons.

Answer 1

The highly reactive metals cannot be extracted from carbon because of its less reactivity. Therefore, the method which uses the passing of electric current through the ores is used for the extraction of high reactive metals.

Complete step by step answer:
The process which are used for the reduction of metallic oxides are:
Electrolysis reduction
By reducing agents
By thermal decomposition
I suggest electrolytic reduction processes for the extraction of highly reactive metals. The high reactive metals such as aluminium, calcium and sodium are extracted by this process. These metals cannot be reduced by using carbon because it is less reactive.
The process in which electricity is passed through the ores decomposes the ionic compounds into their elements is called electrolysis. In this process, anions are oxidized at the anode and cations are reduced at cathode.
There is an addition or removal of electrons off the external circuit which causes the atoms and ions to interchange. The reduction process is the movement of cations to the cathode and then discharging them to the neutral atom by taking them from the cathode. If the neutral atom is solid then it deposits in the cathode and if the neutral atom is a gas then, it moves up. Then, the cation is reduced at the cathode.

Therefore, we use the electrolytic reduction process for the extraction of high reactive metals.

Note: The factors which can affect the process of reduction by electrolyte are:
Nature and state of electrolyte
Overvoltage of the electrodes
Electrode potential of the ions which are in the electrolyte
Nature of the electrode
This process can also be used for the resistance from corrosion and for the metallurgy of alkali and alkaline earth metals.