Practical periodicity: Oxides

Oxygen also forms compounds with most elements. The trends in bonding across a period are similar to those seen
in the chlorides: from ionic to covalent. The acid or base character of the oxides is also important. It can be
determined by their reaction with acids or bases. Acidic oxides dissolve in basic solutions, basic oxides dissolve in
acidic solutions, and amphoteric oxides dissolve in both acidic and basic solutions.
Important oxides
Magnesium oxides very high melting point makes it useful for building high-temperature kilns.
Sulfur is found in fossil fuels such as coal and oil. It is a problem because its oxide is an acidic gas. If sulfur
dioxide formed a solid at room temperature it could be disposed of as an ash after the fire had burnt. Instead,
methods of scrubbing the exhaust gases from coal-fired furnaces need to be employed. They usually involve
reacting the acidic gas with a base such as calcium oxide.
Calcium oxide (lime) is used to remove the acidic oxides present in iron ore. In the production of iron at the
Glenbrook New Zealand Steel refinery, calcium oxide is added to molten iron and combines with the silicates,
phosphorus and sulfur compounds to form a slag which floats on top of the molten iron and is removed. Lime is
also used to precipitate metal hydroxides from solution.
The acid-base character of different oxides is used in the purification of bauxite (an aluminium ore), which
contains iron oxide and silicon dioxide as well as aluminium oxide. The bauxite is crushed and mixed with hot
sodium hydroxide. The acidic silicon dioxide reacts to form insoluble sodium aluminium silicate; the basic iron oxide
does not dissolve and the amphoteric aluminium oxide dissolves and remains in solution. Filtering the mixture
separates out aluminium hydroxide which is then crystallised out and dehydrated to form pure aluminium oxide.

Properties of the oxides from sodium to chlorine

Sodium Magnesium Aluminium Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine
Formula Na
2
O MgO Al
2
O
3
SiO
2

P
4
O
6

P
4
O
10

SO2
SO
3

Cl
2
O
ClO
2

Appearance
White
solid
White solid White solid
White
solid
White solids
Colourless
gases
Colourless
gases
Melting
point
1275 C 2852 C 2072 C 1610 C
24 C
580 C ,
73 C
17 C
20 C
0 C
Conductivity
of molten
compound
Conducts Conducts Conducts Insulator Insulators Insulators Insulators
Acidbase
character
Base Base Amphoteric Acid Acid Acid Acid
Nature of
solid
Ionic Ionic Ionic
Covalent
network
Covalent
molecular
Covalent
molecular
Covalent
molecular