Question

How do non-metals react with acids?

Answer 1

To answer this question we should know what nonmetals are, the position of non-metals in the periodic table. The p-block contains the non-metals. The metals tend to lose electrons. The reaction of non-metals with acid depends upon the reactivity of non-metals. The reactivity of non-metals depends upon the electronegativity.

Complete step by step answer:
- The periodic table has four blocks. Out of which s, d, and f-block contain the metals and the p-block contains metals, semimetals, and nonmetals. The top right of the periodic table contains the non-metals only.
- On going left to the right the electronegative of the atom and effective nuclear charge both increases, so the electron accepting power increases of an atom increases from left to right in the periodic table. As the non-metals are present at the right side of the periodic table so, non-metals accept electrons.
- Acid donates a proton. The proton is an electron-deficient species. So, when a non-metal reacts with acid. The non-metals should accept a proton from acid and should donate their electron to the proton. But as the non-metals do not donate electrons so, they do not react with an acid.
Therefore, non-metals do not react with acids.

Note: All Noble gases are non-metals and all halides except antimony are non-metals. All the noble gases have a fully-filled electronic configuration. So, all the noble gases are unreactive. Non-metals tend to gain electrons. So, their reactivity is compared on the basis of electron-accepting power. The non-metal that can easily accept the electron will be highly reactive. The tendency of accepting the electrons depends upon the electronegativity.