All That Glitters is Not Gold...Or Copper..Or Iron

Dear Kalpita,

Sorry for the weird title. It doesn't really match with what I'm learning about but I couldn't help myself.

Gold and Density

Density was used to pan for gold in the Gold Rush. A man would take a pan and scoop up some gravel and rocks. He would submerge the pan in a steam or riverbed and the sand would filter out. The Gold had a higher density so it would think to the bottom of the pan.

The density of gold is 19.32 grams/cm3

The Density of pyrite(or fools gold) is 5.01 grams/cm3

You can immediately tell that the pyrite had a much lower density.

Copper and Electrolysis

Most (solid) elements are naturally found in the ground-huge surprise!-

Ores are rocks containing minerals and elements.

A chemical reaction must occur to separate an element from a compound.

Electrolysis is when an electric current is used to break down a chemical compound.

A magnesium metal strip is placed into the copper during electrolysis on copper.

Iron and the Blast Furnace

Iron is separated from its compound by a mechanical process (a.k.a putting it in a blast furnace)

So this is basically how Steel and Iron is made

Miners mine iron ore

.I

V

Chunks of iron and a material called coke and put into a blast furnace

.I

V

The carbon monoxide in the coke reacts with iron oxide in the iron

.I

V

The result of the reaction is Iron.

.I

V

Iron is mixed with carbon and other metals to make Steel.