Question

What is the nature of non – metallic oxides?

Answer 1

An oxide is a compound that is formed with the reaction with oxygen. Non – metals are the elements found at the right of the periodic table. Their reaction with oxygen gives non – metallic oxides. The nature of any oxide can be identified by its ability to produce acids or bases when dissolved in water.

Complete answer:
A periodic table consists of elements divided as metals, non – metals and metalloids. As we move from left to right in the periodic table, the non – metallic character of elements increases. So, elements at the right of the periodic table, when reacted with oxygen, form non – metallic oxides. For example, $C{{O}_{2}},S{{O}_{2}}$ and $C{{l}_{2}}{{O}_{7}}$ are some examples of non – metallic oxides.
The nature of non – metallic oxides can be classified into acidic, basic and amphoteric. This can be identified by the reaction of oxides with water. If this reaction produces acids then the oxide is acidic, while if it produces a base then the nature of the oxide is basic.
Now, the reaction of the given oxides of non – metals with water can tell us their nature as,
$C{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O\to {{H}_{2}}C{{O}_{3}}$
$S{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O\to {{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{3}}$
$C{{l}_{2}}{{O}_{7}}+{{H}_{2}}O\to 2HCl{{O}_{4}}$
So, all of these above reactions produces, carbonic acid ${{H}_{2}}C{{O}_{3}}$, sulphurous acid ${{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{3}}$, and perchloric acid $HCl{{O}_{4}}$, which means that the non – metallic oxides are acidic.
Hence, the non – metallic oxides are acidic in nature.

Note:
Oxides of non – metals are acidic, while the oxides of metals are basic in nature as they produce bases, like $N{{a}_{2}}O+{{H}_{2}}O\to 2NaOH$, oxide of sodium produces sodium hydroxide which is a base. While oxides of elements that are neither strong metals or non – metals, which are at the center behave, acids with bases, and bases with acids, so they are termed as amphoteric oxides. Example: $A{{l}_{2}}{{O}_{3}}$ and ZnO.