Question

(a) What is the nature of the oxide SO₂? What happens when it is dissolved in water? Write the chemical equation of the reaction involved.
(b) What is the nature of the oxide Na₂O? What happens when it is dissolved in water? Write the chemical equation of the reaction involved.

Answer 1

(a) SO₂ is acidic in nature. When it is dissolved in water, sulphurous acid is formed.
Chemical equation: SO₂(g) + H₂O(l) $\to$ H₂SO₃(aq)

(b) Na₂O is basic in nature. When it is dissolved in water, sodium hydroxide is formed.
Chemical equation: Na₂O(s) + H₂O(l) $\to$ 2NaOH(aq)