In chemistry, binary compounds are undoubtedly one of the most important elements. When we speak of binary compounds we are referring to chemical-type compounds that are characterized by having atoms of different chemical elements, such as sodium oxide (sodium and oxygen), phosphorus oxide (phosphorus and oxygen) or sulfur oxide (sulfur and oxygen), among many others. Binary compounds are more complex since they add up different chemical elements and are thus transformed into a new element now formed by the summation of the characteristics of those joined elements.
When it comes to classifying binary compounds, there are two main categories that differentiate one from the other. In this sense, we find the binary compounds known as acid oxides and, on the other hand, basic oxides. While the former are formed from the union of oxygen with nonmetal elements (and can also be known as anhydrides), the latter are those that are composed of oxygen and a metal. In explaining this categorization we take oxygen as a combinable element, but the same classification is repeated for other elements such as hydrogen. Thus, the acid hydrides will be the binary compounds that have hydrogen and a non-metal element, while the basic hydrides will be the binary compounds that are characterized by a hydrogen and a metal.
Binary compounds are much more common and easier to find than you might think. In general, a large part of the elements that surround us in our daily lives are complex elements that are characterized by the union of two or more chemical elements and that are used as such for specific tasks and actions (for example, sodium bicarbonate in the kitchen). Thus, binary compositions can be developed with specific objectives for certain actions.
