What type of trend occurs in the oxides of Period 3 elements from sodium to sulfur?
Basic to acidic
Oxides change from basic → amphoteric → acidic across the period.
What type of oxide is sodium oxide when it reacts with water?
Basic oxide
Na2O reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide solution.
Fill in the blank:
Sodium oxide reacts with water to produce sodium _______.
hydroxide
Na2O + H2O → 2NaOH, forming a strongly alkaline solution.
True or False:
Magnesium oxide forms an alkaline solution when reacting with water.
True
MgO reacts slowly with water to form Mg(OH)2.
Which Period 3 oxide is amphoteric and reacts with both acids and bases?
Aluminium oxide
Al2O3 shows both acidic and basic behaviour.
True or False:
Silicon dioxide reacts readily with water to form an acidic solution.
False
SiO2 does not react with water due to its giant covalent structure.
Fill in the blank:
Phosphorus(V) oxide reacts with water to form _______ acid.
phosphoric
P4O10 + H2O forms H3PO4.
What type of oxides are sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide?
Acidic oxides
They react with water to form sulfurous and sulfuric acids.
True or False:
Sulfur trioxide reacts with water to form sulfuric acid.
True
SO3 + H2O → H2SO4.
Why does silicon dioxide have a very high melting point?
Giant covalent structure
Strong covalent bonds extend throughout the lattice.
Fill in the blank:
Sodium oxide and magnesium oxide have high melting points due to strong _______ bonding.
ionic
Ionic lattices require large amounts of energy to break.
How does the pH of solutions formed by Period 3 oxides generally change from Na to S?
Decreases
Solutions change from strongly alkaline to acidic across the period.
Observations when sodium reacts with water
Floats, melts into a ball, moves rapidly, fizzing (H₂), may ignite
How does magnesium react with cold water?
Very slow reaction forming magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen
How does magnesium react with steam?
Reacts faster to form magnesium oxide and hydrogen
Equation: Mg + H₂O(g) → MgO + H₂
What oxides do Na–S form with oxygen?
Na₂O, MgO, Al₂O₃, SiO₂, P₄O₁₀, SO₂, SO₃
Which oxides are simple molecular?
P₄O₁₀, SO₂, SO₃
Trend in melting point of oxides Na → S
Increases (Na₂O → Al₂O₃), then decreases sharply (SiO₂ → SO₃)
Increases from Na₂O → Al₂O₃ due to stonger ionic bonding. SiO₂ has the highest melting point due to giant covalent structure with many strong bonds. From P₄O₁₀ the melting point decreases because they are simple molecular with weak intermolecular forces.
Does Al₂O₃ react with water?
No (insoluble, amphoteric oxide)
What happens when SO₂ reacts with water?
Forms sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃, weak acid)
Anion formed from phosphoric acid
PO₄³⁻ (phosphate)
Anion from sulfurous acid
SO₃²⁻ (sulfite)
Anion from sulfuric acid
SO₄²⁻ (sulfate)
How do basic oxides react with acids?
Neutralisation → salt + water