Key term
Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 1CH0
Key Concepts in Chemistry
Topic overviewFormulae, word equations and balanced equationsHazard symbols and assessing riskThe changing model of the atomProtons, neutrons and electronsThe nucleus, mass number and atomic massElements and isotopesCalculating particle numbers and relative atomic massMendeleev's periodic tableHow the modern periodic table is arrangedElectronic configuration and the periodic tableHow ionic bonds formIons in ionic compoundsFormulae of ionic compounds and ionic equationsNaming compounds and the ionic latticeCovalent bonds and moleculesDot and cross diagrams for simple moleculesClassifying substances and the properties of ionic compoundsProperties of simple molecular substances, and forms of carbonGraphite and diamondFullerenes and graphenePolymers and models of bondingThe properties of metalsRelative formula mass and percentage compositionEmpirical and molecular formulaeConservation of mass in closed and open systemsReacting masses from balanced equationsConcentration in grams per cubic decimetreMoles and the Avogadro constantLimiting reactants and stoichiometry
States of Matter and Mixtures
Topic overviewThe three states of matter and changes of stateEnergy changes during changes of state, and predicting statePure substances and melting point dataChoosing a separation techniqueSeparating a mixture in practicePaper chromatography and interpreting a chromatogramInvestigating inks by distillation and chromatographyMaking water potable
Chemical Changes
Topic overviewAcids, alkalis and the pH scaleIndicators: litmus, methyl orange and phenolphthaleinHydrogen ion concentration and the pH scaleInvestigating pH change when neutralising an acidDilute and concentrated, weak and strong acidsBases and alkalisReactions of acids, and testing for hydrogen and carbon dioxideNeutralisation and its ionic equationPreparing soluble salts from insoluble and soluble reactantsPreparing pure, dry copper sulfate crystalsCarrying out an acid-alkali titrationSolubility rulesPredicting precipitates and preparing an insoluble saltElectrolytes and what electrolysis isMovement of ions and predicting the products of molten electrolysisElectrolysis with inert electrodesWriting half equationsOxidation and reduction at the electrodesElectrolysis of copper sulfate solutionInvestigating the electrolysis of copper sulfate
Extracting Metals and Equilibria
Topic overviewInvestigating the reactivity of metalsDisplacement reactions as redox reactionsThe reactivity seriesOres, oxidation and reductionChoosing a method to extract a metalBiological methods of metal extractionCorrosion resistance and recycling metalsLife cycle assessmentReversible reactions and dynamic equilibriumThe Haber process and its conditionsChanging the position of an equilibrium
Transition Metals, Quantitative Chemistry and Industrial Processes
Topic overviewTransition metals and their propertiesCorrosion and electroplatingPreventing rustingAlloys and alloy steelsHow the uses of metals relate to their propertiesConcentration in mol dm-3 and titration calculationsCarrying out an accurate titrationPercentage yieldAtom economy and choosing a reaction pathwayMolar volume of a gasAvogadro's law and gas volumesThe Haber processConditions used in industrial reactionsFertilisers and ammonium saltsPreparing ammonium sulfate in the lab and in industryChemical cells and fuel cellsEvaluating fuel cells
Groups in the Periodic Table
Topic overviewThe groups of the periodic table, and the alkali metalsReactions of the alkali metals with waterThe pattern in alkali metal reactivity and why it happensPhysical properties of the halogensThe test for chlorine, and halogens reacting with metalsHydrogen halides, and explaining halogen reactivityDisplacement reactions of the halogensGroup 0: the noble gases
Rates of Reaction and Energy Changes
Topic overviewInvestigating the rate of a reactionMeasuring rate and interpreting rate graphsCollision theory and factors affecting rateCatalysts and enzymesExothermic and endothermic changesBond breaking, bond making and the overall energy changeBond energies, activation energy and reaction profiles
Fuels and Earth Science
Topic overviewHydrocarbons and crude oilFractional distillation and the fractionsProperties of the fractions and homologous seriesComplete and incomplete combustionCarbon monoxide and sootPollutants and acid rainHydrogen and fossil fuels comparedCracking and why it is necessaryThe Earth's early atmosphereHow the oceans formed and how oxygen appearedThe test for oxygen and the greenhouse gasesToday's atmosphere and evidence for climate change
Chemical Analysis, Organic Chemistry and Materials
Topic overviewWhy an ion test must be unique, and flame testsTests for metal ions and for ammoniaTests for carbonate, sulfate and halide ionsIdentifying the ions in an unknown saltInstrumental methods and flame photometryAlkanes and why they are saturatedAlkenes and why they are unsaturatedReactions of alkenes, and combustionWhat a polymer is, and how poly(ethene) formsOther addition polymers, and monomers from polymersUses of polymers, and natural polymers including DNAPolyesters and condensation polymerisationProblems with polymers and recyclingAlcohols and the -OH functional groupComparing the energy released by alcohol fuelsMaking ethanol by fermentation and distillationCarboxylic acids and the -COOH functional groupOxidising alcohols to carboxylic acids, and homologous seriesThe size of nanoparticlesUses and risks of nanoparticlesChoosing a material for a use
Extracting Metals and Equilibria
- 11 subtopics
- 33 things to know
- Paper 1
What Extracting Metals and Equilibria covers
Extracting Metals and Equilibria is examined in Paper 1, Chemistry 1. It covers investigating the reactivity of metals, displacement reactions as redox reactions, the reactivity series, ores, oxidation and reduction, choosing a method to extract a metal, biological methods of metal extraction, corrosion resistance and recycling metals, life cycle assessment, reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium, the Haber process and its conditions and changing the position of an equilibrium.
Where it is assessed
Paper 1
Chemistry 1: 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE.
Check the Pearson Edexcel specification ↗The 11 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Investigating the reactivity of metalsJudging reactivity from reactions with cold water and dilute acid, the products formed, magnesium in copper(II) sulfate, and ordering magnesium, zinc and copper by displacement.Open →
- Displacement reactions as redox reactionsOxidation and reduction as loss and gain of electrons, the half equations when magnesium displaces copper, why displacement is redox, and why the sulfate ions take no part.Open →
- The reactivity seriesThe series from potassium to gold with carbon and hydrogen placed in it, which metals react with cold water or dilute acid, why copper gives no hydrogen, and aluminium's oxide layer.Open →
- Ores, oxidation and reductionWhat an ore is and why most metals are found as compounds while gold is found uncombined, oxidation and reduction as the gain and loss of oxygen, identifying what is oxidised and reduced, and why extracting a metal from its oxide is reduction, usually by carbon.Open →
- Choosing a method to extract a metalHow position relative to carbon decides between heating with carbon and electrolysis, why aluminium needs electrolysis and why it costs more, the iron extraction equation, and why gold is found uncombined.Open →
- Biological methods of metal extractionWhat bioleaching and phytoextraction are, how the metal is recovered from each, their advantages over mining, their lower carbon dioxide output, and why they are slow.Open →
- Corrosion resistance and recycling metalsWhat corrosion is and how it follows the reactivity series, why gold, sodium and aluminium behave as they do, why rust keeps spreading, and the economic and environmental case for recycling.Open →
- Life cycle assessmentWhat a life-cycle assessment is, its four stages and the impacts counted at each, comparing two bags by energy, why the results involve judgement and can be selectively reported, and ethical issues and the questions science cannot answer.Open →
- Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibriumReversible reactions and the ⇌ symbol, hydrated copper(II) sulfate and ammonium chloride as examples, dynamic equilibrium in a closed system, why the amounts stay constant but are not equal, and what the position of an equilibrium means.Open →
- The Haber process and its conditionsThe word and symbol equations for ammonia, where the nitrogen and hydrogen come from, the 450 °C, 200 atmospheres and iron catalyst, and why the reaction never goes to completion.Open →
- Changing the position of an equilibriumHow temperature, pressure, reactant concentration and removing a product shift an equilibrium, applied to N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃, why 450 °C and 200 atmospheres are compromises, and what a catalyst does not change.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Explain why oxidation and reduction always occur together, and why obtaining a metal from its ore counts as reduction.
Process
What environmental impacts are considered at the raw materials, manufacturing and use stages of a life-cycle assessment?
Key term
Describe how phytoextraction obtains a metal from plants and why it cannot supply metal all year round.
Key term
How can the reaction of a metal with cold water be used to judge how reactive that metal is?
Key term
In terms of electrons, what happens to a particle that is oxidised?
Key term
List the reactivity series from potassium down to gold, including the two non-metals used as reference points.
Key term
Which metals can be extracted by heating their oxides with carbon?
Key term
What is meant by the corrosion of a metal?
Key term
Give an example of a reversible reaction in which a colour change can be seen.
Key term
Write the word equation for the formation of ammonia from its elements.
Key term
How does raising the temperature affect the position of a dynamic equilibrium?
Key term
What two products are formed when a reactive metal such as sodium reacts with cold water?
Key term
In terms of electrons, what happens to a particle that is reduced?
Key term
Which two non-metals are placed in the reactivity series of metals, and where does each one sit?
Key term
Why can aluminium not be extracted by heating its oxide with carbon?
Key term
How is the metal obtained from the solution produced by bioleaching?
Key term
How is a metal’s resistance to oxidation related to its position in the reactivity series?
Key term
Give two environmental impacts considered when obtaining the raw materials for a product.
Key term
Name two reaction conditions that can be changed in order to alter the direction of a reversible reaction.
Key term
Write the balanced symbol equation for the formation of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen.
Key term
How does lowering the temperature affect the position of a dynamic equilibrium?
Key term
What is seen when magnesium is added to cold water, and what does this show about its reactivity?
Key term
Write the half equation for the change undergone by magnesium atoms when magnesium displaces copper from copper(II) sulfate solution.
Key term
Which metals of the reactivity series react with cold water?
Key term
What is an ore?
Key term
Why is extracting a metal by electrolysis far more expensive than heating its ore with carbon?
Key term
What is phytoextraction?
Key term
Why does a gold ring keep its shine for centuries?
Process
What environmental impacts are considered at the manufacturing stage of a life-cycle assessment?
Key term
What is a closed system?
Key term
In what ratio do nitrogen and hydrogen molecules combine when ammonia is formed?
Key term
How does raising the pressure affect the position of an equilibrium involving gases?
Take Extracting Metals and Equilibria further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Oxidation vs Reduction
Oxidation: gain of oxygen, or loss of electrons, by a substance. Reduction: loss of oxygen, or gain of electrons, by a substance.
Bioleaching vs Phytoextraction
Bioleaching: using bacteria to produce a solution of metal compounds from low-grade ore. Phytoextraction: growing plants that absorb metal compounds, then burning them to collect the ash.
Reversible reaction vs Dynamic equilibrium
Reversible reaction: change in which the products can turn back into the reactants. Dynamic equilibrium: state where forward and backward changes run at equal rates in a closed system.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
How can the reaction of a metal with cold water be used to judge how reactive that metal is?
Model answer
The more vigorously the metal fizzes and gives off hydrogen with cold water, the more reactive it is.
- 2
What two products are formed when a reactive metal such as sodium reacts with cold water?
Model answer
A metal hydroxide solution and hydrogen gas are formed.
- 3
What is seen when magnesium is added to cold water, and what does this show about its reactivity?
Model answer
Only a few bubbles appear very slowly, showing magnesium is less reactive than sodium or calcium.
- 4
What two products are formed when a metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid?
Model answer
A salt, which is a metal chloride, and hydrogen gas are formed.
- 5
How does the rate of bubbling when different metals are added to the same dilute acid show their order of reactivity?
Model answer
The metal that bubbles fastest is the most reactive, and a metal that gives no bubbles at all is the least reactive.
- 6
What is observed when a strip of magnesium is placed in copper(II) sulfate solution?
Model answer
The blue colour of the solution fades and a pink-brown coating of copper forms on the magnesium.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Extracting Metals and Equilibria revision questions
- What does Extracting Metals and Equilibria cover in Edexcel GCSE Chemistry?
- 11 subtopics: investigating the reactivity of metals, displacement reactions as redox reactions, the reactivity series, ores, oxidation and reduction, choosing a method to extract a metal, biological methods of metal extraction, corrosion resistance and recycling metals, life cycle assessment, reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium, the haber process and its conditions and changing the position of an equilibrium. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Extracting Metals and Equilibria organised?
- By the Edexcel 1CH0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Extracting Metals and Equilibria, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.