Industrial chemists have to understand the chemistry of oxides. For example, silicon dioxide is used in glass making and carbon monoxide is used in the
extraction of iron from iron ore.
Period 3 elements bond with oxygen to form oxides.
The type of bonding in these oxides depends on the electronegativity of each element in the
oxide.
The table shows the electronegativity of some period 3 elements, as well as for oxygen.
element
electronegativity
of element
magnesium
1.31
silicon
1.90
sulfur
2.58
oxygen
3.44
Explain how bonding in the oxides of elements in period 3 changes across the period.