Final answer:
Lead is typically isolated by chemical reduction, which is less expensive than electrolysis, with distillation used for purifying volatile metals after reduction. Electrolysis is used for metals difficult to reduce and not generally applied for lead isolation.The correct option is: a) Electrolysis
Step-by-step explanation:
Lead can be isolated from other elements using different methods depending on the specific circumstances and the properties of the materials involved. Electrolysis is a method used to isolate reactive metals that are difficult to reduce, such as those in groups 1 and 2 as well as aluminum, through the use of electrical energy.
However, when considering the isolation of lead, we are looking at the d-block metals which typically undergo processes such as preliminary treatment, smelting, and refining for their isolation. Although not mentioned explicitly for lead, chemical reduction is generally less expensive than electrolysis and is the preferred method for isolating representative metals, with distillation being a subsequent step to purify volatile metals after chemical reduction.
Physical methods of separation, such as filtration, distillation, and crystallization, are not typically used for the initial isolation of lead or its ores but may be used in the purification processes at later stages. Based on what we know, distillation might be used to collect more volatile metals after a chemical reduction process, but it is not generally the method of choice for the isolation of lead as the initial separation from its ores.The correct option is: a) Electrolysis