Direct reduction

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/direct-reduction

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific principle?Solid-state chemical reduction of iron oxides using reducing gases
2. What is the primary feedstock?Iron ore (hematite, magnetite)
3. What is direct reduction in making iron?Direct reduction is a way to turn iron ore into metal without melting it. It uses chemical reactions with gases to strip oxygen from the ore, leaving solid iron.
4. How does direct reduction make iron without an oven?It heats the ore to about 500–1000 °C and lets gases like carbon monoxide or hydrogen react with the iron oxide. The reaction removes oxygen and leaves iron as a sponge‑like solid.

Syngas: A fuel gas mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Pyrometallurgy: The use of high temperatures to process minerals and metals.
Decarbonization: The process of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.