Lesson T8.1.2

T8.1.2 Carbon and obtaining metals from oxides Quiz: KS3 Chemistry, Unit 8

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T8.1.2, Carbon and obtaining metals from oxides: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Chemistry (National Curriculum), Unit 8: Materials, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What happens when a metal oxide is heated with carbon?

    • The metal oxide is turned into hydrogen gas and water
    • The carbon turns into a metal and oxygen is released
    • The metal is obtained and carbon dioxide is formed
    • The mixture forms an acid that dissolves the metal

  2. What is reduction in terms of oxygen?

    • The removal of oxygen from a compound
    • The addition of hydrogen to a metal
    • The loss of electrons from a metal only
    • The addition of oxygen to a compound

  3. Iron oxide is heated with carbon. Which product is the iron?

    • Iron is made as the metal
    • Iron is made as a gas
    • Iron is made as a salt in acid
    • Iron is made as iron chloride

  4. Which metal can be extracted from its oxide by heating with carbon?

    • Iron
    • Sodium
    • Aluminium
    • Potassium

  5. Why cannot aluminium be extracted by heating its oxide with carbon?

    • Aluminium is above carbon in the reactivity series
    • Aluminium reacts with carbon to form a salt in the furnace
    • Aluminium is below carbon in the reactivity series
    • Aluminium oxide is a gas that escapes from the furnace

  6. What is the main ore of iron used in extraction?

    • Iron chloride
    • Iron nitrate
    • Iron sulfate
    • Iron oxide

  7. Which substance is used in a blast furnace to reduce iron oxide?

    • Sodium chloride, which is mined from rock salt beds
    • Ammonia gas, which is made by the Haber process
    • Carbon in the form of coke
    • Hydrogen peroxide, which is a weak bleach

  8. Which metal is extracted by heating its oxide with carbon?

    • Sodium
    • Zinc
    • Calcium
    • Magnesium

  9. What gas is produced when carbon reduces a metal oxide?

    • Nitrogen dioxide
    • Oxygen gas
    • Hydrogen peroxide
    • Carbon dioxide

  10. Why is it useful to extract metals from their ores using carbon?

    • It makes the metal turn into a salt that dissolves away in water
    • It is a cheap method for metals below carbon in the reactivity series
    • It is only possible for gold and silver, which are rare and expensive
    • It needs no energy at all, since the carbon reacts by itself in the air

  11. Which statement about extracting metals is correct?

    • Metals less reactive than carbon need electrolysis to extract them
    • Metals are extracted only by mining gold and silver from the ground
    • Carbon can extract every metal from its oxide if it is heated enough
    • Metals more reactive than carbon need electrolysis to extract them

  12. Iron oxide is reacted with carbon at high temperature. What is removed from the iron oxide?

    • Hydrogen
    • Iron
    • Oxygen
    • Carbon

  13. Which type of reaction is the extraction of iron from iron oxide by carbon?

    • Reduction
    • Neutralisation
    • Displacement by an acid
    • Thermal decomposition

  14. Why does a metal such as copper not need electrolysis to be extracted?

    • It is above carbon in the reactivity series
    • It is a gas at room temperature, so it escapes
    • It is below carbon in the reactivity series
    • It is not a metal at all but a non-metal solid

  15. What must be true about the reactivity of a metal before carbon can extract it from its oxide?

    • It must be less reactive than carbon
    • It must react strongly with water and form a gas
    • It must be a gas at room temperature
    • It must be more reactive than carbon

  16. Which of these metals can carbon extract from its oxide by heating?

    • Tin
    • Calcium
    • Sodium
    • Lithium

  17. Why is extracting metals from their ores with carbon an example of reduction?

    • Hydrogen is removed from the metal
    • Electrons are gained by the carbon only
    • Oxygen is added to the metal oxide
    • Oxygen is removed from the metal oxide

  18. Which metal would most likely need electrolysis to be extracted from its ore?

    • Silver
    • Sodium
    • Platinum
    • Mercury

  19. Why are metals such as gold found as the pure metal in nature?

    • They are very unreactive and do not combine easily
    • They are made of carbon and form a hard coating on rocks
    • They are gases that collect in rocks and escape slowly
    • They dissolve in water easily and form a clear solution

  20. Which process is used to extract aluminium from its oxide?

    • Heating with carbon
    • Electrolysis
    • Displacement with iron
    • Neutralisation with acid

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