Question

What types of oxides are formed by metals? Give one example of each.

Answer 1

Oxides formed by metals

• Metals react or combine with Oxygen to form basic oxides and some metals also give amphoteric oxide.
• Generally, metals form basic oxides.
• For example, the metals Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), etc. forms basic oxides.
• Some metals like Aluminium (Al) and Zinc (Zn) metals form amphoteric oxides.
• Those Metal oxides that show basic, as well as acidic behavior, are known as amphoteric oxides.

Examples

1. Sodium Oxide $\left({\mathrm{Na}}_{2}O\right)$ is a basic oxide.

$$\begin{gathered} 4\mathrm{Na}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to 2{\mathrm{Na}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{s}\right) \\ \mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{oxide} \\ (\mathrm{Basic}\mathrm{Oxide}) \end{gathered}$$

1. Zinc oxide $\left(\mathrm{ZnO}\right)$ is amphoteric oxide.

$$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to 2\mathrm{ZnO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right) \\ \mathrm{Zinc}\mathrm{oxide} \\ (\mathrm{Amphoteric}\mathrm{Oxide}) \end{gathered}$$