Which of the following bases would more greatly favor the product side of a chemical reaction? 

• A. BeH₂
• B. H₂Se
• C. SrH₂
• D. Pb(OH)₄
• E. HF

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the question is asking which base will favor the product side of a chemical reaction, which typically means the base that is strongest or most reactive in accepting protons or donating electron pairs.
2. Recall that the strength of a base is often related to the stability of its conjugate acid; a weaker conjugate acid corresponds to a stronger base.
3. Analyze each given compound: BeH\_2, H\_2Se, SrH\_2, Pb(OH)\_4, and HF, focusing on their ability to act as bases. Metal hydrides like SrH\_2 tend to be strong bases because the metal-hydrogen bond is quite ionic and the hydride ion (H\^-) is a strong base.
4. Compare the nature of the hydrides and hydroxides: SrH\_2 contains Sr\^2+ and hydride ions, which are strong bases, whereas HF is a weak acid and thus its conjugate base (F\^-) is relatively weak. Similarly, BeH\_2 and H\_2Se are less ionic and less basic, and Pb(OH)\_4 is a hydroxide but lead is a heavy metal with less basic character compared to alkaline earth metal hydrides.
5. Conclude that SrH\_2, being an alkaline earth metal hydride with strong ionic character and a strong hydride base, will more greatly favor the product side of the reaction due to its strong basicity.