Separating metals from metal oxides

• Lots of metals like iron and aluminum react with oxygen to form Oxides. These are often ores that that the metals need to be extracted from
• A reaction that separates a metal from its oxide is called a reduction reaction
• some metals can be extracted by reduction with carbon

  • Some metals can be extracted from their ores using carbon
  • The ore is reduced as oxygen is removed from it by the carbon, which gains oxygen so is Oxidised
• Metall higher than carbon in the reactivity series have to be extracted using electrolysis, Which is expensive