Question

Litharge is chemically:
(A) $PbO$
(B) $\text {Pb}{{\text{O}} _ {2}} $
(C) $\text{P}{{\text{b}} _ {3}} {{\text{O}} _ {4}} $
(D) ${{\left(\text{C}{{\text{H}} _ {3}} \text {COO} \right)} _ {2}} \text {Pb}$

Answer 1

Hint: Litharge is the natural mineral of lead and is the natural and very important oxide of the lead and is obtained from the galena ores and the oxidation state of lead in Litharge is -2. Now, identify that.

Complete step by step solution:
-Lead is a metal having atomic number 82 and lies in the 18th group and belongs to the category of the carbon family. It reacts with oxygen forming various oxides of lead i.e. The lead oxide PbO, lead dioxide$\text{Pb}{{\text{O}}_{2}}$, lead trioxide $\text{P}{{\text{b}}_{2}}{{\text{O}}_{3}}$ and triplumbic tetroxide$\text{P}{{\text{b}}_{3}}{{\text{O}}_{4}}$etc.
-The basic oxide of lead i.e. the lead monoxide (PbO) is known as the Litharge and is the natural form of lead and is one of the most important metal compounds. Litharge consists of about 93percentage of lead and about 7 percent of the oxygen.
-Litharge is known from many names such as lead monoxide, plumbous oxide, lead oxide etc. Being yellow in colour, it is also called the yellow lead. It is odourless, heavy solid and may or may not be soluble in water. If it is soluble in water, then their solutions are not too strongly acidic nor too strongly basic. It is used in the production of glass, television tubes, leaded light bulbs and is also used as a paste material in the storage batteries.

Hence option (A) is correct.

Note: Litharge can undergo redox reactions (i.e. those reactions in which one species undergo oxidation and the other species undergo reduction at the same time) but has very weak oxidizing (i.e. ability to lose electrons) and reducing (i.e. ability to gain electrons) tendency.