Question

Explain giving one example, how highly reactive metals (which are high up in the reactivity series) are extracted.

Answer 1

The highly reactive metals are extracted by the electrolytic reduction of their molten chlorides or oxides.

Example: Sodium metal is extracted by the electrolytic reduction of molten sodium chloride. When electric current is passed through molten sodium chloride, it decomposes to form sodium metal and chlorine gas.