Amphoteric Compounds - do we need to memorize them?

[Alan Wu]

Are we required to memorize all the amphoteric oxides shown in Figure 6A.7 on page 450 for the final exam?

And what exactly do we have to know about amphoteric compounds? Is it the fact that they can react with both acids and bases?

Let's say we're given an oxide and we're unsure if it's amphoteric or not. How exactly do we determine whether it can react with both acids and bases?

[Matt F]

I would be familiar with those elements involved, but I don't know if you need to fully memorize them. To determine if an element is amphoteric, you can look chemical reactions involving them to see if they are capable of acting as both an acid and a base (able to donate or accept a proton when necessary). Examples not on that table could be H20 or HCO3-

[Dan M -3E]

There are only a few amphoteric compounds, so it probably wouldn't be hard to memorize them just in case, or at least be familiar with them