Please feel free to be technical or not.
2006-11-23 23:28:39 · 6 answers · asked by gooner_1982_uk 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Melting means "turn into a liquid." Ice will melt into liquid water.
Smelting means "turn into a metal from an ore." This includes a melting or fusing, but the word is always used with a metallic ore. Iron oxide can be smelted into metallic iron.
2006-11-23 23:30:19 · answer #1 · answered by Richard 7 · 66⤊ 0⤋
Melting involves no chemical reaction and is the change of state from solid to liquid which is caused by a rise in temperature. The process is reversed by a drop of temperature.
Smelting is a chemical reaction. In the case of iron the oxygen is separated from the iron oxides in the ore by heating it in the presence of carbon. The oxygen in the ore combines with the carbon leaving iron. Until the late 18th century charcoal was the source of carbon then coke made from coal heated without sufficient oxygen to burn was used.
2006-11-24 09:01:57 · answer #2 · answered by David P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Smelting is for metal and melting is for ice alright.
2006-11-24 07:31:01 · answer #3 · answered by thesesoftfoes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melting is just that, melting.
Smelting is the process of melting while removing other elements and impurities.
2006-11-24 07:47:59 · answer #4 · answered by nuttin'fancy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
melting is turning solid to liquid
smelting is winning the metal from the ore
2006-11-24 07:32:36 · answer #5 · answered by raj 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my father used to go "smelting"... but i always got stuck cleaning them!
But smelt are good eating, but you have to eat alot of them, because the are a very small fish! ;)
2006-11-24 07:35:50 · answer #6 · answered by multipure417278 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋