OXIDES

Binary compounds of oxygen with a metal or a non-metal are called oxides. (Oxides contain metals or
non-metals in association with oxygen as the only other element.)

Based on their nature, oxides can be broadly classified as follows.

Oxides_______________________
Non-metallic oxides Metallic oxides
(non-metal + oxygen ) (metal + oxygen)
__________________ _____________________
Acidic oxide Neutral oxide Basic oxide Amphoteric oxide

Acidic oxides Examples of Acidic oxides

1. These are generally oxides of non-metals C + O2 ----- CO2
2. Acidic oxides dissolve in water to form solutions
that turn blue litmus red.
3. Solutions resulting from the dissolution of acidic CO2 + H2O ----- H2CO3
Oxides in water are called acids. Carbonic acid
4. Acidic oxides are also called acid anhydrides H2CO3 - H2O ----- CO2
(acids without water). Removal of water from
an acid molecule gives the acidic oxide.
5. Acidic oxides react with bases to form salt and CO2 + NaOH ----- Na2CO3 + H2O
water.
6. Examples of acidic oxides : Carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, sulphur trioxide, phosphorous
pentoxide.
Acidic oxide Prepration of Acidic oxide Prepration of corresponding acid

Carbon dioxide C + O2 CO2 CO2 + H2O H2CO3

S + O2 SO2 Carbonic acid
Sulphur dioxide 2SO2 + O2 2SO3 SO2 + H2O H2SO3
Pt Sulphurous acid

Sulphur trioxide SO3 + H2O H2SO4

Sulphuric acid
4P + 5 O2 2P2 O5
P2O5 + 3H2O 2H3PO4
Phosphorus pentoxide Phosphoric acid
2NO + O2 2NO2
Nitrogen dioxide 2NO2 + H2O HNO2 + HNO3
Mixed acid anhydride Nitrous acid Nnitric acid
 Examples of Neutral oxide

Neutral oxides 1. Carbon [2C + O2 2CO]

Non-metallic oxides like water, carbon monoxide (CO), nitric monooxide Limited air

Oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O) are neutral in nature.

2. Nitric oxide [N2 + O2 3000° C 2NO]
1.These are generally oxides of non-metals.
2.They are insoluble in water 3. Nitrous oxide [NH4NO3 N2O + 2H2O
3.They do not show acidic or basic properties, i.e.they have no electric
4. Water [2H2 + O2 spark 2 H2O
effect on moist litmus and do not react with acid or bases
to form salts.

Basic oxides Example of Basic oxide: Calcium oxide

1. These are generally oxides of metals.
2. All basic oxides are not soluble in water. Oxides 2Ca + O2 2CaO
that dissolve in water are called alkalis. Metal Oxygen Basic oxide

Thus, all alkalis are bases, but all bases are not alkalis

Oxides of reactive metals like sodium, potassium and CaO + H2 O Ca(OH) 2

calcium react vigorously with water to form alkalis. Basic oxide Water Alkali
Calcium hydroxide is slightly soluble in water. Hence
It is a weak alkali.
Magnesium oxide is almost insoluble in water.
3. Alkaline solution turn red litmus blue.
4. Basic oxides react with acids to form salt and water. CaO + 2HCI CaCI2 + H2O
Basic oxide + Acid Salt + Water
ZnO + 2HCl ------- ZnCl2 + H2O
5. Example of basic oxides:
Sodium oxide, potassium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, copper oxide, mercury [II] oxide,
silver oxide.
Basic Oxide Preparation of Basic oxide Preparation of Corresponding alkali (if any)
Potassium oxide 4K + O2 2K2O K2O + H2O 2KOH
Potassium hydroxide
Sodium oxide 4Na + O2 2Na2O Na2O + H2O 2NaOH
Sodium hydroxide

Calcium oxide 2Ca + O2 2CaO CaO + H2O Ca(OH) 2

Calcium hydroxide

Magnesium oxide 2Mg + O2 2MgO

Copper (II) oxide 2Cu + O2 2CuO

Mercury (II) oxide 2Hg + O2 2HgO

Amphoteric oxides. Metallic oxides that react with both acids as well as bases to produce salt and
water are called amphoteric oxides.
Examples of amphoteric oxides.
1. These are generally oxides of metals that are 2Zn + O2 ----- 2ZnO
weakly electropositive. Metal oxygen amphoteric oxide

2. Amphoteric oxides exhibit the properties of

both, acidic oxide and basic oxide. e.g.
Acidic property.
Amphoteric oxides react with bases (alkali) ZnO + 2NaOH ----- Na2ZnO2 + H2 O
to form salt and water. Acidic oxide + base salt + water

Basic property.
Amphoteric oxides react with acids to form ZnO + 2HCl ----- ZnCl2 + H2O
salt and water. Basic oxide + acid salt + water

Amphoteric oxide Acidic property Basic property

Acid + base ----- salt + water Base + acid ----- salt + water
Zinc oxide ZnO + 2NaOH -----Na2ZnO2 + H2O ZnO + 2HCl ----- ZnCl2 + H2O
acid base Sodium zincate
Aluminium oxide Al2O3+ 2NaOH ---2NaAlO2 + H2O Al2O3 + 6HCl ----- 2AlCl3 + 3H2O
Sodium aluminate
Lead (II) oxide PbO + 2NaOH ----- Na2PbO2 + H2O PbO + 2 HNO3 ----- Pb(NO3)2 + H2O
Sodium plumbite

Amphoteric oxide Acidic property Basic property

Acid + base ----- salt + water Base + acid ----- salt + water
Zinc hydroxide Zn(OH)2 + 2NaOH -----Na2ZnO2 +2H2O Zn(OH)2+ 2HCl ----- ZnCl2 + 2 H2O
acid base Sodium zincate
Aluminium Al(OH)3 + NaOH ---NaAlO2 + 2H2O Al(OH)3 + 3HCl ----- AlCl3 + 3H2O
hydroxide Sodium aluminate

Lead (II)hydroxide Pb(OH)2 + 2NaOH-----Na2PbO2 + 2H2O Pb(OH)2 + 2 HNO3 ----Pb(NO3)2+ 2H2O

Sodium plumbite

Question bank
1. What are oxides ?
2. What is the general nature of most of the metallic oxides ? (basic )

3. What is the term used for bases that are soluble in water ? (alkali )

4. Name two strong alkalis. (sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.)

5. What is the effect of alkalis on litmus ? (Red litmus turns blue in an alkaline solution.)

6. Explain—All alkalis are bases but all bases are not alkalis. (only soluble bases are called alkalis.)

7. What are the products formed when basic oxides react with acids ? (salt and water.)
8. Explain giving equations the amphoteric nature of zinc oxide. (Imp.)

9. What is the general nature of most of the non-metallic oxides. ( acidic )

10. What is the effect of non-metallic oxides on litmus ? (turn moist blue litmus red.)

11. Product formed when acidic oxides react with bases ? (salt and water.)

12. Name a weak alkali . ( ammonium hydroxide. )

13 What colour changes do you observe with phenolphthalein and methyl orange are added to acidic and
alkaline solutions ?

14 other name of acidic oxides (acid anhydrides )