Ionization energy and bonding

[needhelpperson]

When metal oxides react with water, the oxygen generally ends up as the hydroxide ion, separate from the metal. In contrast, when nonmetallic oxides react with water, the oxygen ends up as part of the nonmetals species. What connection is there between this contrasting behaviour of metal and nonmetal oxides and ionization energies?

I know that the metal oxides dissociate because they are their bonds are polar, since ionic. As well the nonmetal oxides are not polar which is why they do not dissociate. But I am wondering how can i use ionization energy to explain this? please help

 

[Nate810]

!!! The ionization energy is a measure of the energy required for an atom to lose its outermost electron, and therefore become positively charged. The higher the ionization energy of an element, the more difficult it is for it to form ions. Metals typically have low ionization energies, while nonmetals typically have higher ionization energies. This explains why metal oxides dissociate in water, as the metal atoms easily form ions due to their relatively low ionization energy. In contrast, nonmetals have higher ionization energies, making it more difficult for them to form ions when reacting with water and thus explaining why nonmetal oxides do not dissociate.

 

[M98Ranger]

The contrasting behavior of metal and nonmetal oxides in their reaction with water is directly connected to their respective ionization energies. Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule, and it is a measure of the strength of the bond between the electrons and the nucleus.

In metal oxides, the metal atoms have low ionization energies due to their large atomic size and low nuclear charge. This means that the electrons in the outermost shell of the metal atom are easily removed, resulting in the formation of positively charged metal ions. These ions are then attracted to the negative oxygen ions, forming a strong ionic bond. When this ionic bond is broken in the presence of water, the metal ions are easily separated from the oxygen ions, resulting in the formation of hydroxide ions.

On the other hand, nonmetal oxides have high ionization energies due to their small atomic size and high nuclear charge. This means that the electrons in their outermost shell are strongly attracted to the nucleus and are less likely to be removed. As a result, nonmetal oxides do not readily form ions and instead remain as covalent molecules. When these molecules react with water, the oxygen atoms remain bonded to the nonmetal atoms and do not form hydroxide ions.

In summary, the difference in the behavior of metal and nonmetal oxides in their reaction with water is due to the difference in their ionization energies. The low ionization energy of metals allows them to easily form ions and dissociate from the oxygen, while the high ionization energy of nonmetals keeps them bonded to the oxygen. This highlights the importance of ionization energy in understanding the properties and behavior of different types of compounds.