Question

From the list of characteristics given below, select the five that are relevant to non-metals and their compound:

1. Ductile
2. Conduct electricity
3. Brittle
4. Acidic oxides
5. Basic oxides Discharged at anode
6. Discharged at anode
7. Discharged at cathode
8. Ionic chlorides
9. Covalent chlorides
10. Reaction with dilute sulphuric acid that yields hydrogen
11. 1,2,or 3 valence electrons
12. 5,6 or 7 valence electrons

Answer 1

The characteristics relevant to non-metal and their compound are as follows:

• Acidic oxides (D)

Oxides of non-metals are acidic in nature. They react with water to give acids.

${\mathrm{SO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$

• Brittle (C)

Non-metals are brittle in nature because of weak attractive forces.

• Discharged at the anode (F)

Non-metals are electro-negative in nature and the anode is a positive terminal. So, non-metals get discharged to the anode.

• 5,6,7 valence electrons (L)

Non-metals have usually 4 to 8 electrons in the outermost shells of their atom.

• Covalent chloride (I)

Non-metals form covalent chlorides by sharing of electrons with chlorine e.g. ${\mathrm{CCl}}_4$

$\mathrm{C}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2{\mathrm{Cl}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{CCl}}_4\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

Hence, From the list of characteristics, Acidic oxides (D), Brittle (C), Discharged at the anode (F), 5,6,7 valence electrons (L), Covalent chloride (I) are relevant to non-metals and their compound.