Question

Non-metals don’t usually react with water but non-metal oxides do:
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint: We should know that when things react, it is because the result of the reaction is more stable than the unreacted materials. This applies to metals and non-metals reacting with water. And also we know that non-metals produce acids.

Step by step answer:
We will answer this question by taking a non-metal such as Sulphur. Its atomic number is 16.
We know that non-metals react with oxygen to form non-metal oxides. Non-metal oxides are acidic in nature. They turn blue litmus to red.
If we take example of sulphur we came to know that when sulphur burns in air, it combines with the oxygen of air to form sulphur dioxide (acidic oxide)
\[S\left( s \right)+{{O}_{2}}\left( g \right)\to \text{ }S{{O}_{2}}\left( g \right)\]
Sulphur dioxide is a gas. It is invisible and has a nasty, sharp smell. It reacts easily with other substances to form harmful compounds.
Sulphur dioxide is very soluble in water. When water is added to sulphur dioxide (that is sulphur dioxide reacts with water or rather $SO_2$ is bubbled through water) sulphur dioxide dissolves in water to form a sulphurous acid solution.
\[S{{O}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O\to {{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{3}}\]
Sulphurous acid turns blue litmus to red showing it is an acid and that sulphur dioxide is acidic in nature.
Non-metals react with oxygen in the air to produce non-metal oxides. Carbon burns in air to form carbon dioxide. And this carbon dioxide then reacts with water to form carbonic acid.
So, from the above discussion we can say that non-metals don’t react directly with water but non –metals acidic oxides react with water to form acids. So, it is a true statement.

Note: We should know about acid rain which is produced by reaction of non-metal oxides with water. Acid rain results when sulphur dioxide (\[S{{O}_{2}}\]) and nitrogen oxides (\[N{{O}_{x}}\]) are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents. \[S{{O}_{2}}\] and \[N{{O}_{x}}\] react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form sulphuric and nitric acids. These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground.
While a small portion of \[S{{O}_{2}}\]and \[N{{O}_{x}}\] that cause acid rain is from natural sources such as volcanoes, most of it comes from the burning of fossil fuels. The major sources of \[S{{O}_{2}}\] and \[N{{O}_{x}}\] in the atmosphere are:
Burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Two thirds of \[S{{O}_{2}}\] and one fourth of \[N{{O}_{x}}\] in the atmosphere come from electric power generators.
Vehicles and heavy equipment.
Manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries.