The trends in the reactions of the elements with oxygen

• Reaction of sodium with oxygen: Observations

  A yellow flame is observed and a white solid is formed.
• Reaction of sodium with oxygen: Equation

  $4Na+$$O_2\ \rightarrow\ 2Na_2O$
• Reaction of magnesium with oxygen: Observations

  Magnesium burns in the air, a white light is observed and a white solid is formed. 
• Reaction of magnesium with oxygen: Equation

  $2Mg+$$O_2\ \rightarrow\ 2MgO$
• Reaction of aluminium with oxygen: Observations

  A white solid is formed.
• Reaction of aluminium with oxygen: Equation

  $4Al+$$3O_2\ \rightarrow\ 2Al_2O_3$
• Reaction of silicon with oxygen: Requirements

  Finely divided silicon reacts with oxygen when heated. 
• Reaction of silicon with oxygen: Equation

  $Si+$$O_2\ \rightarrow\ SiO_2$
• Reaction of phosphorus with oxygen: Explanation

  Phosphorus burns spontaneously in air with a very bright white flame and forms a white smoke which is a mixture of phosphorus(III) oxide and phosphorus(V) oxide. In excess oxygen, the product is almost all  phosphorus(V) oxide. 
• Reaction of phosphorus with oxygen: Equation

  $P_4+$$5O_2\ \rightarrow\ P_4O_{10}$
• Reaction of sulfur with oxygen: Explanation

  Sulfur burns in the air. The yellow solid sulfur melts to form a red liquid which burns with a blue flame forming misty fumes of a choking and pungent gas. 
• Reaction of sulfur with oxygen: Equation

  $S+$$O_2\ \rightarrow\ SO_4$
• Reaction of sulfur dioxide with oxygen: Explanation

  Sulfur dioxide can be converted into sulfur trioxide on reaction with more oxygen in the presence of a vanadium(V) oxide under specific conditions. 
• Reaction of sulfur dioxide with oxygen: Equation

  $2SO_2+$$O_2\ \rightarrow\ 2SO_3$
• Sodium dioxide is an ionic, basic oxide. Its bonding is ionic, meaning the electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions. It is a white solid which has an ionic lattice structure.
• Magnesium oxide is an ionic, basic oxide. Its bonding is ionic, meaning the electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions. It is a white solid which has an ionic lattice structure.
• Aluminum oxide is an ionic, amphoteric oxide. Its bonding is ionic, meaning the electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions. It is a white solid which has an ionic lattice structure.
• Phosphorus (V) oxide is a covalent, acidic oxide and is a white solid. Its bonding is covalent and its structure is molecular covalent. 
• Sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide are both covalent acidic oxides, bonding is covalent and their structures are simple covalent. Sulfur dioxide is colourless gas with a pungent odour, appearing in mistry fumes. Sulfur trioxide is a colourless liquid.