Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing acidity: P2O5, As2O5, N2O5, SnO2, SeO3, and BaO. (Use the appropriate <, =, or > symbol to separate substances in the list.)
To determine the order of increasing acidity of the given oxides, we need to consider their behavior when they dissolve in water. Acidity is generally related to the acidic nature of the resulting solution.
Here's how you can determine the order:
1. Look at the nonmetals in the given oxides; elements on the left side of the periodic table tend to form more acidic oxides, while elements on the right side tend to form more basic oxides.
2. Consider the oxidation state of the nonmetals in each oxide. Higher oxidation states tend to increase the acidity.
3. Consider the size of the nonmetal atoms. Smaller atoms form more acidic oxides.
Based on these considerations, let's arrange the oxides in order of increasing acidity:
BaO < SnO2 < SeO3 < As2O5 < P2O5 > N2O5
BaO is the least acidic because it contains the metal barium, which is an alkaline earth metal. SnO2 is less acidic due to tin being a metal and its oxide being amphoteric (having both acidic and basic properties). Moving towards increasing acidity, SeO3 is next because selenium is a nonmetal with relatively larger atoms compared to others.
As2O5 is more acidic than SeO3 because arsenic is a nonmetal and has a higher oxidation state. P2O5 is more acidic due to phosphorus having even higher oxidation states and smaller atom sizes.
Finally, N2O5 is the most acidic among the given substances as it contains nitrogen with a higher oxidation state, resulting in a very acidic oxide.
So, the order of increasing acidity is:
BaO < SnO2 < SeO3 < As2O5 < P2O5 < N2O5