| Amphoteric substances | | Amphoteric substance is a compound that can act either as an acid or a base, depending on the pH of a solution. Many metal oxides of Zn, Al, Sn, Be, etc. show amphoteric nature. | | Zinc-oxide ZnO reacts differently depending on the pH of the solution: | | In acids: |  | | In bases: |  | | This effect is used to separate different cations as zinc from other elements such as manganese while extracting zinc from an ore. | | Oxides of metalloid or semimetals like boron (B), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) , antimony (Sb), silicon (Si), and germanium (Ge) show amphoteric nature. | | | Explore | | Previous | Next
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