Properties of Oxides

Umaesh Kumar

Mr. Sadacharan

March 21st, 2013

SCH4U1-07

Umaesh Kumar

Mr. Sadacharan

March 21st, 2013

SCH4U1-07

The Observations of the Various Oxides Formed from Elements Located on Period 3 & Carbon

Abstract: This lab was conducted in order to establish the properties, trends and bonds between the oxides of various period three elements as well as carbon. The addition of water was provided to each oxide, in order to determine its final state as acidic, basic or neutral. It was found that Sodium and Magnesium produced basic metal oxides. Phosphorus, Carbon, Sulfur and Chlorine each produced acidic non-metal oxides. Lastly, Aluminum and Silicon were able to produce strong covalent networks, which resulted in their states to be neutral.

Theory: The conduction of this lab allows the experimenter to determine the oxide properties of elements along period 3, as well as the element ‘carbon’. The oxidization (react w/ oxygen) and the addition of water justifies whether the state of each oxide is acidic, basic or neutral.

The limitless amount of information that can be obtained from the periodic table tells us that across the period (left to right) the number of valence electrons, protons and electronegativity increase, whereas the atomic radius declines. We also know that any elements found to the left of the staircase are considered to be metals and any to the right were considered to be non-metals. Universally metals are characterized to be hard, lustrous, malleable solids, which are also good conductors of electricity. Non-metals on the other hand are known to be dull, fragile and non-conductors of electricity.

The first two elements from groups one and two of period three (Na & Mg) would form into metal oxides. Characteristics of metal oxides are that they are known to create strong ionic intramolecular bonds due to the great electronegativity difference between the element, as well as oxygen. The vast difference of...