Question

Why is the nature of metal oxides basic?

Answer 1

• Metal oxides are basic in nature because they react with water to form the base.
• A metal's oxides are basic in nature, which means that when they come into contact with acids, they transform into salt and water.
• Salts and water are produced when metal oxides combine with inorganic acids like$\mathrm{HCl}$.
• As a result, rather than being acidic or neutral, metal oxides have a basic character.
• Metal oxides turn moist red litmus paper blue.
• Non-metals have an acidic nature and will dissolve in water to generate acids as a result.
• The presence of Sulphur dioxide in water may be detected using litmus.

${\mathrm{SO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$

The Sulphuric acid turns blue litmus paper to red.