Acid Base Characteristics of Oxides Across the periodic Table

NOTE: Phosphorus Pentoxide and Sulfur Dioxide were performed by the teacher.

Data Collection:

Table 1: Appearance Of Oxides

Table 2: Reaction Of Oxides With Water

Table 3: Reaction Of Oxides With An Acid (Hydrochloric Acid 2M)

Table 4: Reaction Of Oxides With A Base (Sodium Hydroxide 2M)

Conclusion:

The results obtained were inconclusive but suggested that the trend across a period is that it gets more acidic and less basic. Going across a period result in elements loosing their metallic properties. This results in the oxides of metals tending to be basic, whilst the oxides of non-metals have a tendency to be acidic.

Table 2 (Reaction Of Oxides With Water) shows the above conclusion to be true. The results in the literature show that the nature of the oxides of period 3 elements go from basic to amphoteric to acidic. This agrees with the results obtained in the tests done with distilled water. The other tests of Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide however do not show any sort of trend in the data obtained.

Improvements to the procedure:

• Testing the same ideas on a different period to see if the theories produced are true for all elements.
• Also try testing electricity conductivity of each of these oxides and seeing if there is any relationship between the two.
• Also to determine trends across a period doing these tests with chlorides of the elements.
• Using different types of acids and bases to see which ones give off the proper reaction that suits the literature and clearly shows whether an oxide is acidic or basic.