Chemical Properties of Non-Metals

📚 Key Concepts

🔹 Real-Life Example

When you burn a candle, the carbon in the wax combines with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide – an acidic gas. When sulfur burns (like in matchsticks), it produces sulfur dioxide, which makes acid rain when it dissolves in rainwater. Non-metals generally form acidic oxides, unlike metals.

🧪 Important Reactions

🔸 Reaction with Oxygen

General Equation: Non-metal + Oxygen → Non-metal Oxide (usually acidic)

Examples:

• Carbon: C + O₂ → CO₂ (complete combustion)
• Carbon: 2C + O₂ → 2CO (incomplete combustion – toxic!)
• Sulfur: S + O₂ → SO₂ (sharp, suffocating odor)
• Hydrogen: 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O (clean fuel reaction)

🔸 Non-Metal Oxides – Acidic Nature

• Non-metal oxides are generally acidic
• Turn blue litmus red
• Form acids when dissolved in water

Examples:

• Carbon dioxide: CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid)
• Sulfur dioxide: SO₂ + H₂O → H₂SO₃ (sulfurous acid)
• Sulfur trioxide: SO₃ + H₂O → H₂SO₄ (sulfuric acid)

🔸 Reaction with Hydrogen

Examples:

• Chlorine: H₂ + Cl₂ → 2HCl (hydrogen chloride)
• Oxygen: 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O (water formation)

🔸 Reaction with Metals

Non-metals can react with metals to form ionic compounds:

• Sodium + Chlorine: 2Na + Cl₂ → 2NaCl
• Magnesium + Oxygen: 2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO