Question

What factor does decide the acidic or basic nature of the oxide of an element?

Answer 1

The acidic or basic nature of the oxide of an element-

• An acidic oxide is an oxide which when combined with water gives off an acid.
• A basic oxide is an oxide which when combined with water gives off a base.

Factor decide the acidic or basic nature of the oxide of an element-

• Metallic character or Non-metallic character of the elements decides the nature of their oxides.
• The metallic character of the oxide's central atom will determine whether the oxide will be acidic or basic.
• The more metallic the central atom the more basic the oxide.
• The more electronegative or non-metallic the central atom, the more acidic the oxide.
• The basic nature of oxides is directly proportional to the metallic character of its central atom whereas acidic nature is directly proportional to non-metallic character.