Final answer:
Students are to match ores to the metals they produce. The process often involves smelting, where a reducing agent is used to separate the metal from the ore. This task highlights the importance of metal extraction and its environmental impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
Metals and Their Ores
Students are tasked with matching ores to the metals they produce. Metal ores are minerals from which metals can be extracted economically. Extraction of metals involves various processes, including smelting, where heat and a reducing agent such as coke are applied to the ore to separate the metal. An example is iron extraction from iron ore in a blast furnace, where iron oxide reacts with carbon to produce iron metal and carbon dioxide:
2Fe2O3 + 3C → 4Fe + 3CO2
Metal ores can be oxides, sulfides, silicates, or native metals, and must be processed to extract metals for use in manufacturing and other industries. The summary also mentions the environmental impacts of metal production, including alloys formation, such as bronze, and the importance of metals in applications ranging from everyday use to advanced technology.