Question

Define basic anhydride.

Answer 1

A compound formed by removing water from a more complex compound, an oxide of a metal that forms a base, when united with water, is called basic anhydride.

Basic anhydrides are simply metal oxides, like sodium oxide (Na₂O) ormagnesium oxide (MgO).

The term basic anhydride, refers the idea that these metal oxides are, bases with a water removed. For example, calcium oxide (CaO) is simply calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) with one H₂O removed from the formula.