Metal Oxides and Acids

Metal oxides contain atoms of a metal combined with atoms of oxygen. The black powder copper oxide is an example of a metal oxide. 

Copper Oxide Powder

Metal oxides react with acids to produce a salt and water. This can be shown in an equation:

Acid + Metal oxideSalt + Water

The salt produced from these reactions is dependent on the acid that is used. Metal oxides form chloride salts when reacting with hydrochloric acid, nitrate salts when reacting with nitric acid and sulfate salts when reacting with sulfuric acid.

An example of each type of salt formed is shown in the equations below:

Chloride Salts

hydrochloric acid + sodium oxidesodium chloride + water

2HCl+ Na₂O2NaCl + H₂O

Sulfate Salts

sulfuric acid + calcium oxidecalcium sulfate + water

H₂SO₄+ CaOCaSO₄ + H₂O

Nitrate Salts

nitric acid + copper oxidecopper nitrate + water

2HNO₃+ CuOCu(NO₃)₂ + H₂O

It is important to learn the formulae of the acids, as they are the three most commonly used acids in the science lab.  Use this information in this activity.