Most metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides which are _____ . (`"basic"//"acidic"`)

Explanation

To determine whether metal oxides are basic or acidic, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Formation of Metal Oxides
When metals react with oxygen, they form metal oxides. For example, sodium (Na) reacts with oxygen (O) to form sodium oxide (Na2O).

### Step 2: Identify the Nature of Metal Oxides
Metal oxides are generally classified based on their behavior in water. When dissolved in water, they can produce hydroxide ions (OH⁻), which are characteristic of basic substances.

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