Textbook Question
Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing covalent character: B2O3, BeO, CO2, Li2O, N2O5.
Ch.22 - The Main Group Elements
Chapter 22, Problem 127
Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing acidic character: BaO, Cl2O7, SO3, SnO2.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of acidic and basic oxides. Acidic oxides typically form acids when combined with water, while basic oxides form bases.
Step 2: Identify the type of elements forming the oxides. Generally, non-metal oxides are acidic, and metal oxides are basic.
Step 3: Analyze the given oxides: BaO is a metal oxide (basic), Cl2O7 and SO3 are non-metal oxides (acidic), and SnO2 is an amphoteric oxide (can act as both acidic and basic).
Step 4: Arrange the oxides based on their acidic character. Basic oxides have the least acidic character, followed by amphoteric oxides, and then acidic oxides.
Step 5: Order the oxides from least to most acidic: BaO (basic) < SnO2 (amphoteric) < SO3 (acidic) < Cl2O7 (more acidic).
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Acidic Oxides
Acidic oxides are oxides that react with water to form acids or with bases to form salts. They are typically formed from nonmetals or metalloids and exhibit higher electronegativity. Examples include sulfur trioxide (SO3) and dichlorine heptoxide (Cl2O7), which are known for their strong acidic properties.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:58
Oxide Reactions
Basic Oxides
Basic oxides are oxides that react with acids to form salts and water. They are usually derived from metals and have lower electronegativity. Barium oxide (BaO) and tin(IV) oxide (SnO2) are examples of basic oxides, with BaO being a strong base due to its alkaline earth metal nature.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:58Oxide Reactions
Trends in Acid-Base Character
The acid-base character of oxides generally increases with the nonmetallic character of the element. As you move from left to right across the periodic table, oxides become more acidic, while moving down a group typically leads to more basic oxides. This trend helps in predicting the acidic character of the given oxides based on their elemental composition.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:08Metallic Character Trends