how did it come to this?
Extraction of Iron
Iron ore, calcium carbonate and coke are fed to the top of the blast furnace. Hot air is fed to the bottom.
Coke reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and a lot of heat(exothermic reaction)
Carbon + Oxygen -> Carbon dioxide + Heat
C + O2 -> CO2 + Heat
Carbon dioxide will react with more coke to form cabon monoxide a reducing agent
Carbon dioxide + Carbon -> Carbon monoxide
CO2 + C -> 2CO
Carbon monoxie will react with the iron(III) oxide to form molten iron ore, which flows down the furnace.
Iron(III) oxide + Carbon monoxide -> Iron + Carbon dioxide
Fe2O3 + 3CO -> 2Fe + 3CO2
Limestone is decomposed to form calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.
Calcium carbonate -> calcium oxide + carbon dioxide
CaCO3 -> CaO + CO2
Iron ore impurities(silicon dioxide) will react with calcium oxide to form slag. The slag runs off the bottome of the furnace. It floats in top of the molten iron.
Silicon dioxide + Cacium oxide -> Calcium silicate
SiO2 + CaO ->CaSiO3
