The what form acidic compounds with hydrogen
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: Nonmetals form acidic compounds with hydrogen.
Explanation
Acidic compounds that contain hydrogen are commonly formed when nonmetals bond with hydrogen. These compounds are known as hydrogen halides or more broadly as hydrides of nonmetals. When these compounds dissolve in water, they often produce acids.
For example, when hydrogen bonds with chlorine (a nonmetal), it forms hydrogen chloride (HCl). When HCl is dissolved in water, it forms hydrochloric acid, a strong acid: HCl (g)→HCl (aq)→H++Cl−\text{HCl (g)} \rightarrow \text{HCl (aq)} \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{Cl}^-
The key reason nonmetals form acidic hydrogen compounds is due to their high electronegativity. Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons. Nonmetals, especially those in groups 15, 16, and 17 (such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and the halogens), have high electronegativities and tend to pull the shared electrons in the H–X bond toward themselves. This makes the hydrogen atom more positive and easily released as a proton (H⁺) in solution, which is the defining characteristic of acids.
Here are a few examples of acidic hydrogen compounds formed with nonmetals:
- HF (hydrogen fluoride) → hydrofluoric acid
- H₂S (hydrogen sulfide) → hydrosulfuric acid
- HNO₃ (nitric acid) → derived from nitrogen
- H₂SO₄ (sulfuric acid) → derived from sulfur
In contrast, metals typically form basic or neutral hydrides (like sodium hydride, NaH) and do not release H⁺ ions in water.
Therefore, nonmetals are the correct answer because they form hydrogen compounds that can release protons in aqueous solution, exhibiting acidic behavior.
