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Non-Metal Oxides are the covalent oxides of non metals with oxygen that react with water to produce acids or with bases to produce salts. Hydronium ions (H3O+) are formed when acidic nonmetal oxides react with water to generate oxyacids. The conduct of acidic oxides may be summarised in two broad assertions. SO3 and dinitrogen pentoxide (DNO) are examples of oxidants (N2O5). Acid anhydrides are nonmetals that display one of their most prevalent oxidation values. The oxidation state of the nonmetal does not change when these oxides interact with water to generate oxyacids.
Also read: Metals and Non-Metals
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Key Terms: Non metal oxide, Metal, Elements, Gas, Solid, Chemical, Compounds, acid, base, Liquid, Reaction, Water
What Are Non-Metal Oxides?
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Oxides of nonmetallic metals are a diverse group of chemical substances. Major group elements bonded to one or more oxygen atoms form the basis of these compounds. Some examples involve the oxides of boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulphur (S).
Electronegativity ranges from medium to high for nonmetals. As a result of chemical processes, acidic substances are formed. Solid nonmetals, such as metalloids, may create acids when exposed to nitric acid. Alternatively, an acidic oxide or one with a high concentration of acidic characteristics.
When non-metals are combined with oxygen, they generate oxides that are non-metallic. Salts and liquid are formed when they combine with a base. Here, let's have a look at the reaction between the base, Ca(OH)2, and carbon dioxide (non-metallic oxide).
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 → CaCO3 + H2O
Also read: Metals and non metals revision notes
Non-Metal Oxide Examples
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The examples of Non metal Oxides are in table below:
| Non Metal | Room Temp State | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen | Gas | H |
| Nitrogen | Gas | N |
| Oxygen | Gas | O |
| Fluorine | Gas | F |
| Chlorine | Gas | Cl |
| Bromine | Liquid | Br |
| Iodine | Solid | I |
| Carbon | Solid | C |
| Sulphur | Solid | S |
| Phosphorous | Solid | P |
| Silicon | Solid | Si |
Chemical Properties
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Take a closer look at specific chemical characteristics:
Non-Metal + Oxygen:
- Non-metals combine with oxygen to generate either acidic or neutral oxides, depending on the kind of non-metal involved.
- As an illustration: When carbon is combined with sulphur, the result is an acidic CO2; when hydrogen is combined with sulphur, the result is a neutral H2 oxide.
- It is via electron exchanging that the non-metal oxides get their covalent character.
- Acids are formed when non-metal oxides with acidic properties mix in water. Oxides of non-metals that are acidic transform blue litmus test into a red colour.
- A good example of a non-metal is carbon. Co2 is an acidic oxide formed when carbon combines with oxygen in the air.
Non-Metal + Water:
- In contrast to metals, non-metals do not interact with water (or steam) to produce hydrogen gas, since non-metals supply electrons to convert water ions to hydrogen gas.
Non-Metals + Salt Solutions:
- When interacting with salt liquids, a more responsive non-metal removes a less volatile non-metal from the saline solution it was previously in.
- Salt and bromine are formed when chlorine is added to a sodium bromide mixture and the bromide solutions is stirred.
Also read: Occurrence of metals
Uses Of Non-Metal Oxides
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Non-metals may be used in a broad range of applications, including:
Sulphur
- Used in the production of gunpowder, pyrotechnics, and matches.
- Rubber for tyres and other products is made from vulcanised rubber.
- Insecticides and fumigants may be used with it.
- Sulfuric acid is made from this.
Bromine
- Inflammation, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease are among of the conditions for which it is used in medicines.
- Swimming pools and hot tubs use chlorine as a cleaner.
- Fire resistant materials, such as those used in children's clothes, must contain this chemical.
- In insecticides and dyes it is used.
Hydrogen
- In balloon, hydrogen may be utilised as a hoisting agent since it is the least dense.
- As a result of its strong flammability, it is often used as a fuel.
Helium
- Medical research uses it.
- For this reason, helium is often used in balloons and beams since it is chemically inert and does not catch fire.
- It is a non-metallic gas.
- Helicopters and other high-vacuum devices may be used to detect helium leaks.
- Applied by meteorologists to predict the weather.
- For imaging research, superconductivity magnets may be cooled using liquid helium (MRI, magnet resonance image).
Noble Gases
- Like argon and xenon, this gas is often used in commercial displays for its vibrant colours.
- Laser rays, such as neon, argon, and krypton.
- Neon and krypton are two of the gases used to fill disco lights.
Nitrogen
- Ammonia, which is utilised in agricultural fertilisers, is produced in companies using ammonium nitrate.
- Ammonia and nitric acid manufacturing as a fertiliser are made using this material.
- Water and soils contain it as nitrates and nitrites. The nitrogen cycle relies on the presence of these molecules.
- A genetic code component that is found in DNA.
Also read: Modern periodic table
Things To Remember
- When nonmetal elements combine to produce oxide molecules, the result is a nonmetal oxide.
- Nonmetals dominate the p block. Many oxide chemicals are synthesised by them.
- The fact that nonmetal oxides exchange particles with oxygen atoms in order to form oxide molecules renders them covalent substances.
- Acids are formed when nonmetal oxides combine with water. Since they are acidic, nonmetal oxides are H2SO4 mixture is very acidic when SO3 is mixed with water, for instance.
- Salts are formed when nonmetal oxides interact with bases.
Sample Questions
Ques. What occurs when a base reacts with a non-metal oxide is not well understood? (2 Marks)
Ans. The reaction of base with non-metal oxides results in the formation of salts and water. As a result of this reaction, the base sodium hydroxide is transformed into the saline sodium carbonate and the water is transformed into the non-metal oxide carbon dioxide. The fact that non-metal compounds are acid in essence is shown by this reaction.
Ques. Is it true that non-metal oxides are alkaline? (2 Marks)
Ans. Metal oxides are often considered to be basic, while non-metal oxides are considered acidic. Alkaline solutions are formed when certain metal oxides interact with water. It is vital to note that certain metal oxides do not react with water in the same way as others. In water, they test neutrality since they are insoluble, but since they interact with acids, they are nonetheless classified as bases.
Ques. Is it true that nonmetals are solid at ambient temperature? (3 Marks)
Ans. Non-metals are usually poor carriers of heat and electricity, and this is especially true for organic materials. At room temp, non-metals may exist as solids, liquids, or gases, depending on the element in question. Non-metals such as sulphur, bromine, and helium are examples. At room temp, many of these are gases. The conductance of nonmetals and the brittleness of solids are both influenced by the internal configurations of the materials in question.
Ques. Can you tell me the difference between metal oxide and non-metal oxides? (3 Marks)
Ans. Metal oxides are substances that are made up of metal ions and oxide ions, and they are found in nature. Nonmetal oxides are compounds that are made up of nonmetal atoms and oxygen atoms, as opposed to metal oxides. There is a significant distinction between metal oxide and nonmetal oxide in that metal compounds are basic chemicals, whilst nonmetal oxides are acidic compounds, with metal oxides being the more common kind.
Ques. What is meant by the term "ductility"? (2 Marks)
Ans. The ductility of a metal is an indicator of the ability to sustain tensile stress under various conditions. An entity's two ends may be separated by any force that removes them from one another. The term "ductile" refers to a metal substance that can be twisted into a thin wire without becoming weaker or more delicate as a result of the stretching process.
Ques. List an element that has qualities that are shared by both metals and nonmetals. (2 Marks)
Ans. Silicon is a substance that has both the qualities of metals and the qualities of non-metals. It is classified as a metalloid. It has a metallic aspect that is both solid and glossy, similar to that of metal. It also has a high melting point, which is advantageous. It, on the other hand, does not transmit electricity in the same way as metals do.
Ques. What causes non-metals to reduce? (3 Marks)
Ans. The reduction of nonmetallic substances to their monatomic anion or protonated state occurs when they serve as oxidising agents. According to Pauling electronegativity, the capacity of an element to serve as an oxidising agent may be determined. The oxidising power grows as the electronegativity of the environment increases.
The oxidation numbers of the monatomic nonmetal anions and their protonated counterparts are typically the lowest that may be achieved. This allows them to transport electrons again to other substances, which is a useful capability. It has the ability to serve as lowering agents.
Ques. What function do non-metals play in our everyday lives and why are they so important? (2 Marks)
Ans. Without the existence of non-metallic elements on the planet, life would be impossible. Carbon is among the most vital non-metals because carbon products such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nutrients, enzymes, and other chemicals are required for the progress and expansion of living creatures. Carbon molecules are also vital for the reproduction of life forms. Likewise, we can observe Oxygen, which is equally essential for the survival of all living things, and so on.
Ques. What are some examples of non-metal oxides that are normal, that is, they are either acidic nor basic? (2 Marks)
Ans. Carbon monoxide (CO), water (H2O), nitrogen monoxide (NO), and dinitrogen monoxide are examples of non-metal oxides that are neutral in nature (N2O). In other words, these non-metal oxides have no effect on any form of litmus reaction, whether it's blue or red.
Ques. What is the total number of non-metals in the Periodic Table, and how are they classified? (2 Marks)
Ans. There are a total of 22 non-metals. Of these, ten are solids, one is a non-metal, namely bromine, which is liquid, and the other eleven are gases. Because of this, all nonmetals are solids or gases, with the exception of bromine, which is fluid at ambient temp.
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