chemistry unit 9

reactivity

tendency of a substance to undergo chemical reaction, either by itself or with other materials, and to release energy

oxidation

the gain of oxygen by a substance/loss of electrons by a substance

reduction

loss of oxygen/gain of electrons by a substance

oxidizing agent

a substance which oxidizes something else

reducing agent

a substance which reduces something else

displacement

reactions in which one element displaces another from a compound

ore

rock containing metals or metal compounds from which it is possible to extract the metal

native metal

a metal that exists naturally as the uncombined element

reactivity series

a list of elements in order of their reactivity, from highest to lowest

displacement

chemical reaction in which a less reactive element is replaced in a compound by a more reactive one

electrolysis

a chemical change caused by passing an electric current through a compound which is either molten or in solution

coke

impure carbon used in the blast furnace

haematite

iron ore, containing iron oxide- Fe₂O₃

slag

molten impurities produced in the blast furnace including calcium silicate- CaSiO₃

rusting

the corrosion of iron

galvanizing

the process used to coat iron or steel with a thin layer of zinc

sacrificial protection

the use of a more reactive metal to prevent the corrosion of iron

metallic bonding

the attraction of positive metal ions and delocalized electrons

delocalized electrons

electrons in a metal that are not attracted to a particular atom but are free to move

giant metal lattice

an ordered array of positive metal ions surrounded by a sea of delocalized electrons

conductivity

the ability of a metal to conduct an electric current due to movile delocalized electrons

malleavility

the ability for a metal to be reshaped