Would you expect manganese(II) oxide, MnO, to react more readily with HCl(aq) or NaOH(aq)?

Verified step by step guidance

MnO is a basic oxide, which means it tends to react with acids rather than bases.

Consider the nature of the reactants: MnO is a metal oxide, and metal oxides typically react with acids to form salts and water.

HCl is a strong acid, while NaOH is a strong base. Basic oxides like MnO are more likely to react with acids.

The reaction between MnO and HCl would likely produce MnCl2 and water, following the general reaction pattern of metal oxides with acids.

Therefore, MnO would be expected to react more readily with HCl(aq) than with NaOH(aq).

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Acid-Base Reactions

Acid-base reactions involve the transfer of protons (H+) between reactants. In this context, HCl is a strong acid that dissociates completely in water, providing H+ ions, while NaOH is a strong base that dissociates to provide OH- ions. The nature of the reactants determines how readily they will react with manganese(II) oxide, which can act as a Lewis acid or base depending on the conditions.

Oxidation States

Oxidation states indicate the degree of oxidation of an atom in a compound. In MnO, manganese has an oxidation state of +2. Understanding oxidation states is crucial for predicting the reactivity of MnO, as it can participate in redox reactions, particularly with strong acids like HCl, which can facilitate the reduction of manganese.

Solubility and Reactivity

The solubility of a compound in a solvent affects its reactivity. Manganese(II) oxide is generally insoluble in water, but its reactivity with acids or bases can lead to the formation of soluble products. HCl, being an acid, can react with MnO to form soluble manganese salts, while NaOH may not react as readily due to the basic nature and the formation of insoluble manganese hydroxide.

Recommended video:

Guided course

00:28

Solubility Rules

Related Practice

Textbook Question

True or false: Because elements that form cations are metals, and elements that form anions are nonmetals, elements that do not form ions are metalloids.

Textbook Question

Predict whether each of the following oxides is ionic or molecular: SnO₂, Al₂O₃, CO₂, Li₂O, Fe₂O₃, H₂O.

views

Textbook Question

Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing acidity: CO2,CaO,Al2O3,SO3,SiO2,P2O5.

Textbook Question

Chlorine reacts with oxygen to form Cl2O7. (a) What is the name of this product (see Table 2.6)?

views

Textbook Question

Chlorine reacts with oxygen to form Cl2O7. (b) Write a balanced equation for the formation of Cl2O71l2 from the elements.