 It is a blueish white lusticous metal.

 zinc is brittle at ordinary temperature

but it becomes malleable from 100-150.
c then again it become brittle.
 It melts at 420. c and boils at 900. c
and has sp. Gravity 7.13.
 Zinc is one of the essential elements found
abundantly on earth and in almost in many
foods. This mineral is even found in the many
cells of living organisms and assists the immune
system to fight against germs and bacterias. It
is located in the group 12 of the periodic table
having an atomic number of 30 and its symbol
being Zn.
 Zinc appears in the form of lustrous and a
bluish chemical metal. It is brittle at normal
temperatures and is also malleable in nature.
 Zinc is manufactured from zinc blende
in various steps such as
Concentration
Roasting
Smelting and
Purification
 Zinc blende is concentrated
by floath floatation process.
 Zinc blende is mixed up in a
large tank consisting of a
mixture of pine oil and
water.
 Later compressed air is
passed through this
combination.
 The froth containing the
concentrated zinc sulphide
ores settles on the surface
leaving behind the
impurities in water.
 The concentrated are is heated in excess
supply of air above 9000c on the hearth of
reverberatory furnace. During roasting. Zinc
sulphide is converted to Zinc Oxide.
 2ZnS + 3O2 → 2ZnO + 2SO2

 Small amount of ZnS may be oxidized to
ZnSO4 but above 9000c , ZnSO4 decompose
forming Zinc Oxide (ZnO)
 ZnS + 2O2 → ZnSO4
 ZnSO4 above 900 → 2ZnO + 2SO2 + O2
 This process is called reduction. The mixture of zinc
oxide and coke are heated in the presence of carbon to
obtain zinc. The equation for this as shown below-
 ZnO + C Zn + CO
 The process is employed in a vertical container. In this
whole process, the zinc oxide and coke are mixed in
the ratio 2:1 and in the form of a compressed mixture.
This mixture is introduced into the furnace and is
heated inside at a temperature of about 1400 o c. Zinc
is obtained in the form of vapors which later
condenses in the condenser which gives out molten zinc
or even called as spelter zinc.
 This is the last step of the entire process
of zinc extraction. The molten zinc
obtained from the previous process
consists of some impurities in it. Hence
the process of the removal of these
impurities is called as Purification. This
process can is done in two ways as given –
Fractional distillation
Electrolysis process
 Fractional distillation
 In this process, the impurities such as Pb. Fe is in
high concentration when compared to cd and Ar;
hence it is heated at about 1000 o c which causes
the distillation of Pb and Fe and then later again it
is heated at about 800 o c thus distilling cd and as
a result pure zinc is left behind.
 Electrolysis process
 Electrolysis is one method of removing impurities
from the zinc spelter. The method uses a zinc rod
which acts as a cathode, while the impure zinc
serves as an anode. ZnSO4 and dil H2SO4 are
mixed up and used as an electrolyte. The current is
passed through the electrolyte; zinc gets settled
on the cathode leaving the impurities in the
electrolyte solution.
FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION
 In this process, the  Electrolysis is one method of
impurities such as Pb. Fe removing impurities from the
is in high concentration zinc spelter. The method uses
when compared to cd and a zinc rod which acts as a
Ar; hence it is heated at cathode, while the impure
about 1000 o c which zinc serves as an anode.
ZnSO4 and dil H2SO4 are
causes the distillation of
mixed up and used as an
Pb and Fe and then later electrolyte. The current is
again it is heated at about passed through the
800 c thus distilling cd
o
electrolyte; zinc gets settled
and as a result pure zinc on the cathode leaving the
is left behind. impurities in the electrolyte
solution.
1. Action of air:-
 Dry air has effect on zinc but in moist air, zinc forms
a protective layer of basic zinc carbonate.
 Zn + O2 + H2O + CO2 → ZnCO3.Zn (OH)2
 When heated in air, zinc burns greenish blue flame
forming clouds of light, white power of zinc oxide
which is commonly known as ‘philosopher’s wool. Beside
this name, other common names are ‘Zinc white and
china white.
 2Zn + O2 → 2ZnO
2. Action of water:-
 Pure zinc does not react with water but
impure zinc displaces hydrogen gas. Zn-
inc reacts with hno3 in four different
concentrations giving different reduced
product.
 Zn + H2O → ZnO + H2
3. Action with acids:
 Dilute H2SO4 and dil. HCl gives H2 gas with
zinc
 Zn + dil. H2SO4 → ZnCl2 + H2
 Zn + dil. HCl → ZnSO4 + H2

 With hot and conc. H2SO4 zinc gives

SO2 gas
 Zn + 2H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + SO2 +
2H2O
 Zinc reacts with HNO3 in four different conditions giving
different product:
i. with very dil. HNO3
With very dil. HNO3, Zn gives ammonium nitrate
4Zn + 10HNO3 → 4Zn(NO3)2 + NH4NO2 +3H2O
ii. with dil. HNO3
Zinc reduces dil. HNO3 to nitrous oxide (N2O)
4Zn + 10HNO3 → 4Zn(NO3)2 + N2O +5H2O
iii. With moderately conc. HNO3
Zinc reduces moderately conc. HNO3 to NO (nitric oxide)
3Zn + 8HNO3 → 3Zn(NO3)2 + 2NO2 +4H2O
iv. With conc. HNO3
Zinc reduces conc. HNO3 to NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)
Zn + 4HNO3 → Zn(NO3)2 +2 NO2 +2H2O
4. Reaction with Alkalies:-

 Zinc readily dissolve in hot and conc.

solution of caustic bases like NaOH ,
KOH, etc giving hydrogen gas.
 Zn +
NaOH → Na2ZnO2 +
H2
 Zn + KOH → K2ZnO2 +
H2
5. Displacement Reaction:-

 Zinc can displace less electropositive

metals from their salt solution
 Zn + CuSO4 → ZnSO4 +
Cu
 Zn +
2Na[Au(CN)2] → NA2[
Zn(CN)4] + 2Au
 It is used for galvanization of iron.

 It is used in making alloys like Brass.

German metal, German silver, etc