MCQ Detailed View

Smelting is a fundamental process in metallurgy used to extract metals from their ores. The main purpose of smelting is to reduce the metal compound, usually an oxide, to the free metal by removing oxygen or other non-metallic components.

During smelting, the ore is heated to high temperatures in a furnace with a reducing agent, commonly carbon (coke). The reducing agent reacts with oxygen present in the metal oxide, liberating the metal:

Fe₂O₃ + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO₂

This reduction reaction converts the metal from its oxidized state in the ore to the elemental state, which can then be collected as molten metal. Smelting is used for a variety of metals including iron, copper, lead, and zinc.

Other options are not the main purpose of smelting:

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  Oxidize it is incorrect because smelting removes oxygen rather than adding it.

  
  


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  Obtain an alloy is not the primary purpose; alloys may be made later from extracted metals.

  
  


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  Separate volatile impurities occurs in processes like roasting or distillation, not smelting.

  
  

Understanding smelting is important in inorganic chemistry because it demonstrates the principles of reduction, electron transfer, and chemical reactivity in metal extraction. The process also highlights the role of temperature, reducing agents, and furnace design in industrial metallurgy.

By studying smelting, students learn how metal oxides are transformed into usable metals, a key concept in inorganic chemistry, materials science, and industrial applications. The process forms the basis for producing steel, copper, and other essential metals for construction, manufacturing, and technology.