Hydrides as acids and bases

Strictly speaking, the term hydride refers to ionic compounds of the most electropositive metals these contain the hydride ion, H . However, the term is often used in its more general sense to refer to any binary compound XH in which X stands for any element. 

Because it is even a stronger base than H2O, the H ion cannot exist in aqueous solution because it abstracts protons from water  

Thus the ionic hydrides are basic in character compounds such as NaH and CaH2 react with water to liberate hydrogen gas and produce an alkaline solution. 

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