Option C: Chemistry in Industry & Technology C.1.

1 State the main sources of iron The two major sources of iron include iron ores and scrap iron. The various methods in which they are obtained are listed below: Iron Ore Mined as oxides: Fe2O3 (haematite), Fe3O4 (FeOFe2O3, magnetite) and the sulphide FeS2 (iron pyrites). Scrap Iron Roasted in the air to form oxide and sulphide dioxide: 4FeS2(s) + 11O2(g) 2Fe2O3(s) + 8SO2(g)

C.1.2 Describe and explain the reaction that occur in the blast furnace In the reaction that occurs within the blast furnace, a mixture of raw material (known as the solid charge) including limestone (calcium carbonate CaCO3), coke (C), iron ore (ex. Iron (III) oxide, Fe2O3) is fed through the hopper of the blast furnace. This hopper serves as the top of the blast furnace. The coke is oxidized exothermically to produce carbon dioxide by a large volume of hot air released from the bottom of the blast furnace. This oxidation reaction is described below: C(s) +O2 (g) CO2 (g) + heat The hot air at the bottom of the furnace causes the temperature to be as high as 2200K. Higher up the furnace, the carbon dioxide reacts with coke in an endothermic reaction to form carbon monoxide. Being an endothermic reaction, the temperature of the furnace is cooled to 1400K. This endothermic reaction is described below: CO2 (g) + C(s) + heat 2CO(g) We can also cause an incomplete combustion reaction if natural gas could be injected along with the hot air. Carbon monoxide will be formed in this reaction and less coke shall be used: 2CH4(g) + O2(g) 2CO(g) + 4H2(g) The carbon monoxide formed in the process plays a critical role in the reduction of the ore towards the top of the furnace. The process of reduction is exothermic: Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g) + heat Alternatively, Fe3O4(s) + 4CO(g) 3Fe(l) + 4CO2(g) + heat Another reduction agent used at this stage can be hydrogen gas that is produced on partial oxidation by injecting methane: Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g) 3Fe(l) + 4H2O(g) + heat Coke can also be a reduction agent for the oxide. The reaction in this process would be: Fe2O3(s) + 3C(s) 2Fe(l) + 3CO(g)

This resulting iron produce is able to sink down the furnace. The higher temperatures at the bottom, serve to accomplish two things: they keep the iron at a molten state and also the limestone decomposes to form calcium oxide and carbon dioxide. The reaction is as follows: Heat + CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g) This calcium oxide is highly basic. In contact with the acidic silicon (IV) oxide in the sand of the impure ore and atmospheric aluminium oxide, calcium oxide forms a molten slag of calcium silicate (IV) and calcium aluminate (III). This product continues down the stack in the following reactions: CaO(s) + SiO2(s) CaSiO3(l) CaO(s) + Al2O3(s) CaAl2O4(l) This molten iron is known as the pig iron. It is impure and contains about 4-5% carbon, 1-2% silicon and small bits of elements such as manganese, phosphorus and sulphur. Denser pig iron can be found on the bottom of the furnace. The lighter slag is found on the top. This slag can be tapped off over a period of time. This slag is used to make cement for roads and also for roads. Furnaces can function effectively for several years without having to replace them. C.1.3. Describe and explain the conversion of iron into steel using the basic oxygen converter. The most common method of making steel from the impure iron is to blast it with pure oxygen. The scrap steel is placed in the bottom of the oxygen convertor. The converter is tilted and the molten pig iron produced from the blast furnace is placed in the converter. The water-cooled pipes allow for the passing of the oxygen and the calcium oxide (lime) onto the surface of the metal at high pressures. This oxygen has the ability to oxidize the impurities of the molten iron by penetrating it. Acidic oxides of C, S, P and Si are created. These escape out as gasses or combine with lime to form slag in reactions such as the ones stated below. These oxidation reactions are exothermic and the heat that is emitted from this reaction can be used to keep the contents of the furnace in a molten state. C + O2 CO2 S + O2 SO2 4P + 5O2 P4O10 Si + O2 SiO2 SiO2 + Cao CaSiO3 (slag) This slag can form layers above the crude steel and also remain behind as liquid steel that can be further poured off. The molten state of the contents allows for the alloying of elements such as manganese and cobalt. These allow for the creation of alloys with desired characteristics and specific properties.

C.1.4. Describe alloys as a homogeneous mixture of metals or a mixture of a metal and a non-metal. Alloys are a mixture of two or more elements, of which, at least one component is a metal. Therefore, it is a homogenous mixture of metals. It can also be a mixture of nonmetal and metals in which the metal is known as the base metal and is found in a larger proportion. These mixtures are formed when the base metal is mixed with the other components in molten form and the allowed to cool down to form the desired alloy. C.1.5. Explain how alloying can modify the properties of metals.