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The Classification of Oxides

Compounds containing one or more oxygen atoms and another element (e.g. Li2O). CO2, SO2, CaO, ZnO, BaO2 and so on are all examples of oxides that combine oxygen with another element.

The acid-base characteristics of oxides are used to classify them into neutral, amphoteric, and basic or acidic.

Acidic Oxides: Acidic oxides that react chemically with water to form an acid are referred to as acidic oxides.

Basic Oxides: A basic oxide is an oxide that produces a base when it is combined with water.

Amphoteric Oxides: Amphoteric solutions are formed when a substance reacts chemically, either as a base or an acid.

Neutral Oxides: Neutral Oxide is neither acidic nor basic is neutral oxidation.

Generally, metal oxides have a -2 oxidation number and are made up of an anion of oxygen. Solid oxides compose the majority of Earth’s crust. A thin layer of Al2O3 can be formed on top of a foil made of aluminium to protect it from corrosion.

Classification of Oxides

  • The other combining element is metallic-nonmetallic oxides.
  • The oxide’s polymeric, molecular, and compound structure is described.
  • Nature of the formation, whether it’s on the surface or in the middle of something.
  • Peroxides and superoxides are oxidation states.

Metallic oxides are oxygen-containing binary compounds that contain electropositive metals, whereas nonmetallic oxides are oxygen-containing binary compounds that do not contain metals.

Polymeric Oxide: With a crystal structure, oxygen is bonded to multiple metallic atoms, resulting in polymeric bonding and structure.

Molecular Oxide: Molecular oxides are binary oxides that exist in the form of individual molecules.

Simple atomic ratio oxides are typically found in nature as molecules. Examples of molecular oxides include carbon/nitrogen and halogen oxides.

Compound Oxide: One or more binary oxides make up this mixture.

Compounds are categorised based on their nature and the characteristics they exhibit. The types of oxides are as follows:

    1. Acidic OxidesCovalent bonds hold together acidic oxide compounds formed when non-metals react with oxygen. Acid anhydrides are another name for these compounds. B2O3 and SiO are two examples of acid anhydrides with high melting points and form large molecules, despite their low melting and boiling points.
    2. Basic OxidesOxygen reacts with metals to form basic metal oxide. Na2O, CaO, BaO etc.The majority of the time, these substances are ionic in nature. When dioxygen reacts with the elements in groups 1, 2 and lanthanides, they form basic compounds of oxygen. These compounds release a significant amount of energy during their formation. Except for a few exceptions, water readily reacts with these compounds.
    3. Amphoteric OxidesAn amphoteric oxide has both acidic and basic properties in it. This reaction produces water and salt when these oxides are combined with an acid. Compounds have a fundamental property that can be seen in this. To produce salt and water, it reacts with the alkali in the same way.
      Example: Al2O3


      Acidic feature

      Al2O3 + 6HCl → 2Al3+ + 6Cl– + 3H2O


      Basic feature

      Al2O3 +2OH– + 3H2O → 2[Al (OH)4]–

    4. Neutral Oxides

    It is possible to form oxides that are neither acidic nor basic by combining oxygen and certain compounds. As a result, they are referred to as neutral oxygen compounds.

    Examples:  H2O, (N2O), CO, Nitric oxide (NO) etc.

    Properties of Oxides

        1. Acidic Oxides

    The properties of Acidic Oxide are as follows:

        • Non-metal oxides make up the vast majority of these oxides.
        • They can be dissolved in water, and the solution acts as an acid. These oxides are known as anhydrides of acids because of this.
        • Both in and out of the water, acidic oxides form salts by reacting with basic substances like calcium and magnesium.
        • Because covalent bonds exist in nature, individual molecules can exist.
        • Boiling and melting points are low.
        • Even in a molten state, they do not conduct electricity.
      2. Basic Oxides

      3. The properties of Basic Oxide are as follows:

          • The product of the reaction between an electropositive metal and oxygen.
          • They form hydroxide ions in water, which makes them bases. The anhydrides of bases are basic oxides.
          • Salt is formed when basic oxides react with acidic substances.
          • They have a polymeric structure and are ionic in nature.
          • Have a high melting and boiling temperature.
          • A molten state of electricity can be used.
      4. Amphoteric Oxide

      5. The properties of Amphoteric Oxide are as follows:

            • These are oxides of metalloids and other elements that are close in composition.
            • This group of oxides is usually unable to be dissolved in water.
            • Salts are the byproducts of their reactions with acids and bases.

    Uses of Oxides

    Some of the uses of Oxides are as follows:

        • As an additive, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) can be used in various products ranging from rubber to glass to cement to ointments to paints to the sealant to adhesives to foods to pigments to fire retardants to batteries (compounds containing Fe2O3).
        • As well as producing aluminium, aluminium oxide (Al2O3) is used in the process.
        • A good thermal conductor and electrical insulator, magnesium oxide (MgO), is used in firebrick and thermal insulation because of the properties of the oxide.
        • With a chemistry formula of CO, carbon monoxide is an extremely noxious gas. It’s colourless, odourless, and highly flammable, making it a dangerous substance.
        • One of the primary causes of global warming is carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere. Maintaining the ideal temperature for life on Earth is made possible by this technology.
        • In the food industry, silicon dioxide is used as a flavour enhancer.
        • The optical instrument industry utilises germanium dioxide.
        • Baking involves the use of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is released during the process of making bread with yeast, which causes the bread to rise.
        • Fire extinguishers use carbon dioxide. It prevents combustion by cutting off the oxygen supply immediately.
        • The oxides of Tin used in manufacturing high-end designer eyewear Granite and marble can be polished using this method.
        • The bacteria in Swiss cheese release carbon dioxide, which causes holes in the cheese.
        • One of nature’s most devastating natural disasters, known as the “exploding lake syndrome,” occurs when large amounts of carbon dioxide suddenly burst out of lake water, creating an enormous gas cloud that would suffocate animals and humans for miles around.

    Conclusion

    Carbon dioxide is a compound you should be familiar with. Carbon dioxide is exhaled in the same way that we exhale oxygen. In addition to this, photosynthesis is also facilitated by this compound. Carbon dioxide, as the name suggests, is an oxide. Various metals and non-metals can be combined with oxygen to create compounds that contain both oxygen and the other metal or non-metal. In total, there are four distinct types of oxides. Oxidation is a natural process that occurs in both air and water. This is why so many Oxides are found as minerals in nature. Solid Oxides make up the majority of the Earth’s crust. Because of its high electronegative nature, oxygen forms stable Oxides when it comes into contact with nearly every other element. Occasionally, however, this over-propensity for oxygen to form Oxides can be harmful.