Final answer:
The basicity of metal oxides is true due to the reaction of the oxide ion with water, forming basic solutions. This occurs because metal oxides are basic anhydrides, releasing hydroxide ions in water or reacting with acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the basicity of metal oxides is due to the oxide ion reacting with water is true. Metal oxides tend to react with water to produce basic solutions. This characteristic is because metal oxides are generally basic anhydrides, which means that they will either form metal hydroxides when soluble or will react with acids even if they are insoluble.
The metabolism of metal oxides is influenced by the nature of the bonding present in the compounds. For metals on the far left of the periodic table, they have low electronegativity and form oxides that can be viewed as consisting of discrete metal cations (Mn+) and oxide anions (O2-). In the presence of water, these oxide anions can react to form hydroxide anions (OH-), contributing to the basic nature of the solution. This is in contrast to nonmetal oxides, which due to their higher electronegativity, form acidic solutions.
For example, alkali metals like lithium react vigorously with water forming hydrogen gas and a basic solution of the metal hydroxide. Hence, they illustrate the strong basic character of soluble metal oxides in water.
Overall, the basicity of metal oxides arises from their tendency to produce hydroxide ions in aqueous solutions or to react with acids, which is a fundamental characteristic of basic anhydrides.