How do oxides react with water?

Oxides react with water to form either acidic, basic, or neutral solutions depending on their nature.

Oxides are compounds that contain one or more oxygen atoms and one or more atoms of another element. They can be categorised into three types based on their reaction with water: acidic oxides, basic oxides, and neutral oxides.

Acidic oxides, also known as non-metal oxides, react with water to form an acidic solution. For example, sulphur dioxide (SO2) reacts with water (H2O) to form sulphurous acid (H2SO3). This reaction can be represented as: SO2 + H2O → H2SO3. These solutions turn blue litmus paper red, indicating their acidic nature.

Basic oxides, also known as metal oxides, react with water to form a basic solution. For instance, sodium oxide (Na2O) reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The reaction can be represented as: Na2O + H2O → 2NaOH. These solutions turn red litmus paper blue, indicating their basic nature.

Neutral oxides, on the other hand, do not react with water to form either an acidic or basic solution. They are neither acidic nor basic and do not affect the colour of litmus paper. Examples of neutral oxides include nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon monoxide (CO).

In summary, the reaction of oxides with water depends on the nature of the oxide. Acidic oxides form acidic solutions, basic oxides form basic solutions, and neutral oxides do not react with water to form either acidic or basic solutions.