Metals that are more reactive than carbon cannot be extracted by carbon reduction method as carbon is not strong enough to displace these metals from their compounds. Therefore, electrolysis is used as a method to extract these metals. In electrolysis, an electric current is passed through a molten compound or an aqueous solution containing the metal ions, causing the metal ions to be reduced and deposited at the cathode. This process allows for the extraction of highly reactive metals such as sodium, potassium, and aluminum.