Taking examples of magnesium and sulphur explain how metals and non-metals produce oxides with different characteristics.

Magnesium bums in oxygen to form magnesium oxide, which dissolves in water to form magnesium hydroxide – an alkali. 2Mg + O2 ——-> 2MgO MgO + H2O ——-> Mg(OH)2 Magnesium hydroxide changes red litmus into blue. Sulphur bums in air to form sulphur dioxide, which dissolves in water to form sulphurous acid – an acid which turns blue litmus into red. S + O2 ——> SO2 SO2 + H2O ——–> H2SO3