Rocks and metals · Grade 10
The thermite reaction
ChemAI · Worksheet
NameClassDate
Aim
Aluminium steals oxygen from iron oxide — and makes molten iron.
⚠ Demonstration only, outdoors, behind a screen. Reaches about 2500 °C and throws molten iron.
Before you start: what do you predict will happen? Why?
What you do
| Step | What I observed | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Add iron(III) oxide and aluminium powder to the dish. | |
| 2 | Add a magnesium ribbon as a fuse. | |
| 3 | Heat until the magnesium fuse lights the mixture (speed ×5). |
Questions
- Write a word or symbol equation for one reaction you observed.
- Explain your most important observation using particles, ions or energy.
- Was your prediction right? What would you change to get a more reliable result?