The reactivity series lists the metals in order of decreasing reactivity.
Potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, CARBON, zinc, iron, tin, lead, HYDROGEN, copper, mercury, silver, gold, platinum.
Metals until aluminium are extracted by electrolysis only while after carbon they can be extracted by reduction with carbon while after hydrogen, they can be extracted by reduction with hydrogen.
Extraction of metals is done in three main steps:
Concentrating the ore by removing dust and rock.
Extracting metal ores by reduction with carbon/hydrogen or electrolysis.
Purifying the metal.
Rusting is the corrosion of the metal iron in presence of water and air. Salts may speed up the process.
It can be prevented by painting, sacrificial protection, galvanising or coating etc.
Sacrificial protection is the attaching of a more reactive metal with iron so it corrodes instead of iron, preventing rusting.
Recycling of metals is an essential process which conserves energy and resources, but is expensive and time-consuming.