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What products form when an alkali metal oxide reacts with water?

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When an alkali metal oxide reacts with water, it forms a basic solution of the corresponding metal hydroxide.12

The general chemical equation for this reaction is:
$M_{2} O + H_{2} O \to 2 M O H$
(where M represents a group 1 alkali metal)1

Because these reactions produce basic solutions, alkali metal oxides are categorized as basic oxides.12