Question 41 markMCQSection A

The metals which are found in both free state as well as combined state are:

Metals and Non-metals
Occurrence of Metals

Options

(A)Gold and platinum
(B)Platinum and silver
(C)Copper and silver
(D)Gold and silver

Official answer

The correct option is C.

Answer keywords:coppersilverfree statecombined statereactivity series

Marking scheme

  1. 1.1 mark

Hint

Look for metals that lie very low in the activity series but are still capable of forming oxides or sulphides, unlike gold which is completely unreactive.

Quick oral answer

Copper and silver are found in both states because they have low chemical reactivity, allowing them to exist uncombined, yet they can still react slowly with sulphur and oxygen to form minerals like copper glance (Cu2SCu_2S) or silver glance (Ag2SAg_2S).

Common mistakes

  1. 1.Choosing Option A or D because gold is highly unreactive; however, gold is almost never found in a combined state in nature.

Analysis and explanation

Copper (CuCu) and silver (AgAg) are placed low in the reactivity series (Table 3.2). Due to their low reactivity, they are frequently found in the free (native) state in nature. However, they are still reactive enough to combine with elements like oxygen and sulphur over geological periods, meaning they are also commonly found in their combined states as oxides or sulphide ores. On the other hand, gold (AuAu) and platinum (PtPt) are extremely unreactive (at the very bottom of the reactivity series) and are found almost exclusively in the free state, while highly reactive metals like sodium or potassium are never found in the free state.

Interesting facts

Copper was the first metal to be used by humans around 8000 BCE because it could be found in its pure, metallic free state as native copper.

Question details

Q4 of 39 questions

Board
CBSE
Class
Class 10
Subject
Science
Year
2024
Section
Section A
Marks
1
Type
MCQ
Chapter
Metals and Non-metals
Topic
Occurrence of Metals
Bloom's level
Remembering
Syllabus topic
Basic metallurgical processes: Occurrence of metals

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Frequently asked questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2024?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Metals and Non-metals" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Occurrence of Metals" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2024 paper.