Question

Are metal oxides basic ?

Answer 1

The basicity of metal oxides is explained below:

1. Yes, metal oxides are basic in nature.
2. They are basic because metal oxides react with acids to form salt and water. Since they neutralize the acids so they are basic.
3. The action neutralization of acid by metal oxides makes them basic.
4. The below reaction is explained the above points:

$2\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq}.)+\mathrm{Mg}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to {\mathrm{MgCl}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

$\mathrm{MgO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to \mathrm{Mg}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)$

The above points clearly explain the basicity of metal oxides.