Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing acidic character: BaO, Cl2O7, SO3, SnO2.

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the concept of acidic and basic oxides. Acidic oxides typically form acids when combined with water, while basic oxides form bases.

Step 2: Identify the type of elements forming the oxides. Generally, non-metal oxides are acidic, and metal oxides are basic.

Step 3: Analyze the given oxides: BaO is a metal oxide (basic), Cl2O7 and SO3 are non-metal oxides (acidic), and SnO2 is an amphoteric oxide (can act as both acidic and basic).

Step 4: Arrange the oxides based on their acidic character. Basic oxides have the least acidic character, followed by amphoteric oxides, and then acidic oxides.

Step 5: Order the oxides from least to most acidic: BaO (basic) < SnO2 (amphoteric) < SO3 (acidic) < Cl2O7 (more acidic).

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Acidic Oxides

Acidic oxides are oxides that react with water to form acids or with bases to form salts. They are typically formed from nonmetals or metalloids and exhibit higher electronegativity. Examples include sulfur trioxide (SO3) and dichlorine heptoxide (Cl2O7), which are known for their strong acidic properties.

Basic Oxides

Basic oxides are oxides that react with acids to form salts and water. They are usually derived from metals and have lower electronegativity. Barium oxide (BaO) and tin(IV) oxide (SnO2) are examples of basic oxides, with BaO being a strong base due to its alkaline earth metal nature.

Trends in Acid-Base Character

The acid-base character of oxides generally increases with the nonmetallic character of the element. As you move from left to right across the periodic table, oxides become more acidic, while moving down a group typically leads to more basic oxides. This trend helps in predicting the acidic character of the given oxides based on their elemental composition.