Question

Give reasons for the following: Coke is not preferred as a reducing agent in the reduction of the oxide of mercury to it’s metal, but is preferred in the reduction of the oxide of zinc to it’s metal.

  • Metallurgy
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Answer

Mercury is least electropositive and have least affinity for oxygen hence, its oxide can be reduced by heat alone whereas Zinc is more electropositive than Mercury and have more affinity for oxygen as compared to mercury hence, reduction of the oxide of zinc to it’s metal can be done by coke.

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Metallurgy

Give reasons for the following pertaining to Hall Herault’s process.
(i) The fusion temperature of the electrolyte has to be lowered before conducting the electrolytic reduction.
(ii) The constituents of the electrolyte in addition to one part of fused alumina contains three parts of cryolite and one part of fluorspar.
(iii) A layer of powdered coke sprinkled over the electrolytic mixture, protects the carbon electrodes.
(iv) It is preferred to use a number of graphite electrodes as anode, instead of a single graphite electrode.

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