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AQA A Level Chemistry

3.2.4
Period 3 Elements
and Their Oxides

Section 3.2.4 follows the elements sodium to sulfur across Period 3: how sodium and magnesium react with water, how each element burns in oxygen to its highest oxide, why the melting points of those oxides fall from the ionic lattices of Na₂O and MgO through giant covalent SiO₂ to the simple molecules P₄O₁₀, SO₂ and SO₃, and how each oxide behaves with water, acids and bases, including the structures of the acids and anions that the non-metal oxides form. Three pages take the trend from the elements to the acid-base chemistry.

Exam Paper
Paper 1
7405/1 (and Paper 3)
Specification Points
3.2.4 i – vii
20 points covered
Sub-topics
3 lessons
Revision notes available
Exam Board
AQA
7405 (2015 onwards)

Revision Notes

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Summary Map

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Period 3 Elements and Oxides Map

AQA A-level Chemistry · 3.2.4 Properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides

All of 3.2.4 on one A4 page: reactions with water and oxygen, bonding and melting points, oxides with water, acids and bases.

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3.2.4

  1. i

    describe the reactions of Na and Mg with water

    Revise
  2. ii a

    describe the reaction of sodium with oxygen to form Na2O

    Revise
  3. ii b

    describe the reaction of magnesium with oxygen to form MgO

    Revise
  4. ii c

    describe the reaction of aluminium with oxygen to form Al2O3

    Revise
  5. ii d

    describe the reaction of silicon with oxygen to form SiO2

    Revise
  6. ii e

    describe the reaction of phosphorus with oxygen to form P4O10

    Revise
  7. ii f

    describe the reaction of sulfur with oxygen to form SO2

    Revise
  8. ii g

    describe the reaction of sulfur with oxygen to form SO3

    Revise
  9. iii

    explain the trend in the melting point of the highest oxides of the elements Na-S in terms of their structure and bonding

    Revise
  10. iv a

    describe the reaction of Na2O with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  11. iv b

    describe the reaction of MgO with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  12. iv c

    describe the reaction of Al2O3 with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  13. iv d

    describe the reaction of SiO2 with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  14. iv e

    describe the reaction of P4O10 with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  15. iv f

    describe the reaction of SO2 with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  16. iv g

    describe the reaction of SO3 with water and know the pH of the solution formed

    Revise
  17. v

    know the structures of the acids and the anions formed when P4O10, SO2 and SO3 react with water

    Revise
  18. vi

    explain the trends in the reactions of the oxides with water in terms of the type of bonding present in each oxide

    Revise
  19. vii a

    write equations for the reactions between Period 3 oxides Na-S and given acids

    Revise
  20. vii b

    write equations for the reactions between Period 3 oxides Na-S and given bases

    Revise