Question

What are amphoteric oxides ?

Answer 1

What are Amphoteric Oxides ?

Amphoteric oxides are the oxides which show both acidic and basic behaviour.

Give some example of amphoteric oxides ?

Some examples of amphoteric oxides are Al₂O₃ (aluminium oxide) and ZnO (Zinc Oxide).

Why are they both acidic and basic in nature ?

This is because they react both with acids and bases to form salt and water.

For example, if Al₂O₃ is basic, it will react with acids to form a salt and water.

Al₂O₃ + 6HCl -----------> 2AlCl₃ + 3H₂O

And, if Al₂O₃ is acidic, it will react with bases to form a salt and water.

Al₂O₃ + 2NaOH ----------> 2NaAlO₂ + H₂O

Similarly,

ZnO + 2HCl -------------> ZnCl₂ + H₂O

And,

ZnO + 2NaOH ------------> Na₂ZnO₂ + H₂O