Basic oxide

A basic oxide is an oxide that shows basic properties in opposition to acidic oxides and that either

• reacts with water to form a base; or
• reacts with an acid to form a salt.

Examples include:

• Sodium oxide, which reacts with water to produce sodium hydroxide
• Magnesium oxide, which reacts with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride
• Copper oxide, which reacts with nitric acid to form copper nitrate

Basic oxides are oxides mostly of metals, especially alkali and alkaline earth metals.

See also

• Acidic oxide
• Amphoteric oxide