Free Oxides questions for IGCSE Chemistry (0620), part of Acids, bases & salts. Each question has the answer and the marking points an examiner would look for.
Generate a full Oxides worksheet →All Acids, bases & salts questionsOxides can be classified as acidic, basic, amphoteric or neutral.
1 Aluminium oxide is amphoteric.
2 Calcium oxide reacts with sodium hydroxide to form a salt.
3 Carbon monoxide is a neutral oxide.
Which statements are correct?
Answer: B
Which term is described by this statement?
“A metal oxide that reacts with an acid to form a salt and water.”
Answer: B
Zinc oxide is amphoteric.
Write a word equation for the reaction of zinc oxide with hydrochloric acid.
State what is meant by a neutral oxide and give an example.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | zinc oxide + hydrochloric acid → zinc chloride + water zinc oxide + hydrochloric acid → zinc chloride + water B1 | 1 |
| (b) | reacts with neither acid nor base; CO/NO/H₂O an oxide that does not react with acids or bases B1 e.g. carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, water B1 | 2 |
This question is about oxides and salts.
Classify the oxides calcium oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and aluminium oxide as acidic, basic, neutral or amphoteric.
Explain why sulfur dioxide dissolves in rain to make it acidic.
Silver chloride is insoluble. Name the type of reaction used to make it, and two solutions that could be mixed.
Write the ionic equation, with state symbols, for the formation of silver chloride.
Describe how a pure dry sample of the insoluble salt is obtained from the mixture.
State the general rules for the solubility of sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, nitrates, and carbonates.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | basic; acidic; neutral; amphoteric all four correct~B2 (two or three correct B1) B2 | 2 |
| (b) | non-metal oxide; reacts with water to form an acid it is an acidic (non-metal) oxide that reacts with water to form an acid B1 | 1 |
| (c) | precipitation; silver nitrate; sodium chloride precipitation B1 aqueous silver nitrate B1 aqueous sodium chloride B1 | 3 |
| (d) | Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s) correct ions and product B1 state symbols B1 | 2 |
| (e) | filter; wash residue with distilled water; dry in oven / between filter papers filter the mixture B1 wash the precipitate (residue) with distilled water B1 dry it in a warm oven / between filter papers B1 | 3 |
| (f) | all Na, K, NH₄ salts soluble; all nitrates soluble; most carbonates insoluble except Na, K, NH₄ all sodium, potassium and ammonium salts are soluble B1 all nitrates are soluble B1 carbonates are insoluble except sodium, potassium and ammonium carbonates B1 | 3 |
Non-metal oxides and metal oxides behave differently in water.
State the type of oxide formed by most metals.
Describe what you would see if universal indicator were added to a solution of carbon dioxide in water.
Write an equation for the reaction of calcium oxide with hydrochloric acid.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | basic basic oxides B1 | 1 |
| (b) | orange/yellow (weakly acidic) orange/yellow (pH about 5–6) B1 | 1 |
| (c) | CaO + 2HCl → CaCl₂ + H₂O correct formulae B1 balanced B1 | 2 |
Oxides can be classified as acidic, basic or amphoteric.
Classify sulfur dioxide, calcium oxide and aluminium oxide.
Define an amphoteric oxide.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | acidic, basic, amphoteric SO₂ acidic B1 CaO basic B1 Al₂O₃ amphoteric B1 | 3 |
| (b) | reacts with acids and bases an oxide that reacts with both acids and bases B1 | 1 |
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