Question

What is the nature of the oxide SO₂? What happens when it is dissolved in water? Write the chemical equation of the reaction involved.

Answer 1

The sulphur dioxide (SO₂) is acidic in nature. The acidic oxide, sulphur dioxide, dissolves in water to form an acid called sulphurous acid.

\[\ce{\underset{(Acidic oxide)}{\underset{Sulphur dioxide}{SO2_{(g)}}} + \underset{Water}{H2O_{(l)}} -> \underset{(An acid)}{\underset{Sulphurous acid}{H2SO3_{(aq)}}}}\]