Occurrence Of Metals
Chapter Name : General Principles And Processes Of Isolation Of Elements |
Sub Topic Code : 102_12_06_02_01 |
Topic Name : Occurrence Of Metals |
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Sub Topic Name : Occurrence Of Metals |
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Introduction
We first discuss the abundance of metals in the earth and move on to the principal ores of the four most important metals- aluminium, copper, zinc and iron, as well as their formulae.
Pre-Requisites:
Mineral, Igneous.
Activity:
Ever wondered why rubies are red and sapphires blue? Both of them are impure forms of aluminium oxide, and the impurities give them their color- that is, chromium in ruby and cobalt in sapphire.
Real Life Question:
Why is a ruby red and sapphire blue? What is lacto calamine derived from?
Key Words / FlashCards
| Key Words | Definitions (pref. in our own words) |
|---|---|
| Ore | A mineral of a metal that can be used as a viable source for that particular metal. |
Learning aids / Gadgets
| Gadgets | How it can be used |
|---|---|
| Flash cards | To remember ores for specific metals and their formulae. |
| Flow charts | To remember the names of all the ores metal-wise. |
Real life uses :
The origin of some commonly used things- such as a prized ruby ring: ruby is actually an impure form of aluminium oxide containing chromium, or lacto calamine: which is derived from calamine, which in turn is an ore of zinc that contains carbon.
Places to visit :
Look into your grandma’s jewelry box. There might be some ruby or sapphire jewelry with their characteristic color. Both of them are impure forms of aluminium oxide, and the impurities give them their color- that is, chromium in ruby and cobalt in sapphire.
Practical examples around us
| Examples | Explainations |
|---|---|
| The origin of lacto calamine which many of us use | It is derived from calamine, which in turn is an ore of zinc that contains carbon. |
| Why is sapphire jewelry blue? | It is actually an impure form of aluminium oxide, where the impurity is the metal cobalt, which imparts to it the color. |
What you learn in Theory:
The chemical formulae for different types of ores, and the important ores for particular metals.
What you learn in Practice:
The origin of some of the products we use in our daily lives- such as lacto calamine, which is derived from calamine, which in turn is an ore of zinc that contains carbon.