Question

How are non-metals extracted by oxidation? Give an example.

Answer 1

1. Non-metals are extracted by oxidation, meaning they react with oxygen or an oxidizing agent to form oxides or oxoacids. This process involves converting non-metals into their highest oxidation state by adding oxygen.
2. For example, moist phosphorus reacts with ozone (O₃) and water to form phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄). The reaction proceeds as phosphorus (P₄) first oxidizes to phosphorus pentoxide (P₄O₁₀), which then reacts with water to produce phosphoric acid.
3. Similarly, moist sulphur oxidizes to sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄), and moist iodine oxidizes to iodic acid (HIO₃) under ozone and moisture.
4. This method is useful for obtaining non-metallic acids from elemental non-metals by using oxidation as the key step for extraction. The example of phosphorus oxidation highlights how non-metals are converted into useful compounds by oxidation in the presence of water.