Which of the following oxide is amphoteric?

Which of the following oxide is amphoteric?
  1. $\mathrm{SnO}_2$
  2. $\mathrm{CaO}$
  3. $\mathrm{SiO}_2$
  4. $\mathrm{CO}_2$

Solution

$\mathrm{SnO}_2$ is an amphoteric oxide because it reacts with acids as well as bases to form corresponding salts. $\begin{aligned} & \mathrm{SnO}_2+4 \mathrm{HCl} \longrightarrow \mathrm{SnCl}_4+2 \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{O} \\ & \mathrm{SnO}_2+2 \mathrm{NaOH} \longrightarrow \begin{array}{c} \mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{SnO}_3+\mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{O} \\ \text { sod. stannate } \end{array} \end{aligned}$

Asked in: NEET 2011 (Mains)

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