# Copper can be extracted from copper oxide by heating it with carbon. Explain why carbon can be used to extract copper from copper oxide, and why this method cannot be used to extract aluminium from aluminium oxide.

> WJEC GCSE Chemistry (Wales) — 2.3 Metals and their extraction · Explain · 4 marks

> Metals differ in how reactive they are. This affects the methods that can be used to extract them from their ores.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Carbon is more reactive than copper (so carbon can displace copper from copper oxide)
2. Carbon reduces copper oxide / removes oxygen from copper oxide
3. Aluminium is more reactive than carbon (so carbon cannot displace aluminium)
4. Aluminium must be extracted by electrolysis (because carbon cannot reduce aluminium oxide)

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