Question 51 markMCQSection A

Which of the following statements is true for an amphoteric oxide ?

Metals and Non-metals
Chemical Properties of Metals

Options

(a)It reacts only with acid and does not form water.
(b)It reacts with acid as well as base to form salt and hydrogen gas.
(c)It reacts with both acid as well as base to form salt and water.
(d)It reacts only with base and does not form water.

Official answer

The correct option is c.

Answer keywords:amphoteric oxidesacids and basessalt and wateraluminium oxidezinc oxide

Marking scheme

  1. 1.1 mark for selecting the correct option (c) with appropriate reasoning.

Hint

Recall the definition of amphoteric oxides and their reactions with hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide as described in the text.

Quick oral answer

An amphoteric oxide is a metal oxide that reacts with both acids and bases to produce salt and water. Examples include aluminium oxide (Al2O3\text{Al}_2\text{O}_3) and zinc oxide (ZnO\text{ZnO}).

Common mistakes

  1. 1.Students often confuse amphoteric oxides with neutral oxides.
  2. 2.Some students mistakenly believe that the reaction of metal oxides with acids/bases produces hydrogen gas instead of water.

Analysis and explanation

According to the NCERT textbook, metal oxides are generally basic in nature. However, some metal oxides, such as aluminium oxide (Al2O3\text{Al}_2\text{O}_3) and zinc oxide (ZnO\text{ZnO}), show both acidic as well as basic behaviour. Such metal oxides which react with both acids as well as bases to produce salts and water are known as amphoteric oxides.


  • Option (a) is incorrect because amphoteric oxides react with both acids and bases, and they do produce water.
  • Option (b) is incorrect because the reaction of an amphoteric oxide with an acid or a base produces salt and water, not hydrogen gas.
  • Option (c) is correct because it accurately defines the reaction of amphoteric oxides with both acids and bases to yield salt and water.
  • Option (d) is incorrect because they react with acids as well as bases, and water is indeed formed.

Interesting facts

Aluminium oxide (Al2O3\text{Al}_2\text{O}_3) reacts with hydrochloric acid to form aluminium chloride and water, and with sodium hydroxide to form sodium aluminate (NaAlO2\text{NaAlO}_2) and water.

Question details

Q5 of 39 questions

Board
CBSE
Class
Class 10
Subject
Science
Year
2023
Section
Section A
Marks
1
Type
MCQ
Chapter
Metals and Non-metals
Topic
Chemical Properties of Metals
Bloom's level
Remembering
Syllabus topic
Amphoteric oxides

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Frequently asked questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2023?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Metals and Non-metals" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Chemical Properties of Metals" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 paper.