Image explanation. The image represents the fundamental importance of the element in air and, when bonded to hydrogen, in water. The greatest commercial use of oxygen gas is in the steel industry. Large quantities are also used in the manufacture of a wide range of chemicals including nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. It is also used to make epoxyethane ethylene oxide , used as antifreeze and to make polyester, and chloroethene, the precursor to PVC.
Oxygen gas is used for oxy-acetylene welding and cutting of metals. A growing use is in the treatment of sewage and of effluent from industry. Biological role. Photosynthesis uses energy from the sun to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen passes into the atmosphere and the hydrogen joins with carbon dioxide to produce biomass. When living things need energy they take in oxygen for respiration. The oxygen returns to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide.
Oxygen gas is fairly soluble in water, which makes aerobic life in rivers, lakes and oceans possible. Natural abundance. The element and its compounds make up There are two key methods used to obtain oxygen gas. The first is by the distillation of liquid air. The second is to pass clean, dry air through a zeolite that absorbs nitrogen and leaves oxygen.
A newer method, which gives oxygen of a higher purity, is to pass air over a partially permeable ceramic membrane. In the laboratory it can be prepared by the electrolysis of water or by adding a manganese IV oxide catalyst to aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Help text not available for this section currently.
Elements and Periodic Table History. This was oxygen although it was not identified as such. The credit for discovering oxygen is now shared by three chemists: an Englishman, a Swede, and a Frenchman. Joseph Priestley was the first to publish an account of oxygen, having made it in by focussing sunlight on to mercuric oxide HgO , and collecting the gas which came off. He noted that a candle burned more brightly in it and that it made breathing easier.
He had written an account of his discovery but it was not published until Atomic data. Bond enthalpies. Glossary Common oxidation states The oxidation state of an atom is a measure of the degree of oxidation of an atom. Oxidation states and isotopes.
Glossary Data for this section been provided by the British Geological Survey. Relative supply risk An integrated supply risk index from 1 very low risk to 10 very high risk. Recycling rate The percentage of a commodity which is recycled. Substitutability The availability of suitable substitutes for a given commodity. Reserve distribution The percentage of the world reserves located in the country with the largest reserves.
Political stability of top producer A percentile rank for the political stability of the top producing country, derived from World Bank governance indicators. Political stability of top reserve holder A percentile rank for the political stability of the country with the largest reserves, derived from World Bank governance indicators. Supply risk. Young's modulus A measure of the stiffness of a substance.
Shear modulus A measure of how difficult it is to deform a material. Bulk modulus A measure of how difficult it is to compress a substance. Vapour pressure A measure of the propensity of a substance to evaporate. Pressure and temperature data — advanced. Listen to Oxygen Podcast Transcript :. You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World , the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
And welcome to Chemistry in its element, where we take a look at the stories behind the elements that make up the world around us. I'm Chris Smith. This week, we are continuing our tour of the periodic table with a lung full of a gas that we can't do without. It protects us from solar radiation, it keeps us alive and by helping things to burn, it also keeps us warm.
It is of course oxygen. And to tell its story, here's Mark Peplow. Little did those humble cyanobacteria realize what they were doing when two and a half billion years ago, they started to build up their own reserves of energy-rich chemicals, by combining water and carbon dioxide. Powered by sunlight, they spent the next two billion years terraforming our entire planet with the waste products of their photosynthesis, a rather toxic gas called oxygen. In fact, those industrious bugs are ultimately responsible for the diversity of life, we see around us today.
Overall, it's the most abundant element on the earth's surface and the third most abundant in the universe after hydrogen and helium. Oxygen is also in virtually every molecule in your body including fats, carbohydrates and DNA.
In particular, it's the atom that links together the phosphate groups in the energy-carrying molecule ATP. Oxygen is obviously pretty useful for keeping us going, but is also widely used in industry as an oxidant, where it can give up some of that solar energy captured by plant and those cyanobacteria. One of the medical uses of oxygen is oxygen therapy. Uptake of O 2 from the air is the essential purpose of respiration, so oxygen supplementation is used in medicine.
Oxygen tents were once commonly used in oxygen supplementation, but have since been replaced mostly by the use of oxygen masks or nasal cannulas.
Hyperbaric high-pressure medicine uses special oxygen chambers to increase the partial pressure of O 2 around the patient and, when needed, the medical staff. Increased O 2 concentration in the lungs helps to displace carbon monoxide from the heme group of hemoglobin. Oxygen gas is poisonous to the anaerobic bacteria that cause gas gangrene, so increasing its partial pressure helps kill them. Decompression sickness occurs in divers who decompress too quickly after a dive, resulting in bubbles of inert gas, mostly nitrogen and helium, forming in their blood.
Increasing the pressure of O 2 as soon as possible is part of the treatment. Oxygen from photosynthetic microbes eventually built up in the atmosphere, drastically changing our planet's environment and the history of life in the process. Oxygen plays a critical role in respiration, the energy-producing chemistry that drives the metabolisms of most living things.
We humans, along with many other creatures, need oxygen in the air we breathe to stay alive. Oxygen is generated during photosynthesis by plants and many types of microbes. Oxygen therapy can help the growth and development of children who have chronic lung conditions.
It can also lessen symptoms such as headaches caused by low oxygen levels, and behavioral changes or problems. Many people with severe COPD require long-term oxygen therapy. COPD is an umbrella term that includes progressive lung diseases that lead to increased breathlessness.
Some people will experience declining lung function over time, leading them to struggle to get enough oxygen. Long term, regular oxygen therapy can significantly improve the quality and length of life for people with COPD. Many of them may need to receive oxygen therapy for at least 15 hours every day. One study found that continuous supplemental oxygen is most beneficial to people with COPD, and can increase survival rates.
Your doctor will write you a prescription to begin oxygen therapy. Some people only need oxygen during certain activities, like exercising or sleeping. Other people need oxygen constantly. Most types of oxygen therapy come with portable oxygen tanks so you can leave home with them if necessary. Do not use drugs or alcohol while taking oxygen therapy, as they can slow your breathing. When discussing oxygen therapy with your doctor, make them aware of any other prescription medications you may be taking.
Fires in areas with excessive oxygen are likely to burn more quickly. Be cautious with oxygen tanks around open flames and heaters, and be sure to store oxygen tanks safely. Many people who need supplemental oxygen live normal, active lives. In many cases, the oxygen therapy helps make activity easier, increases stamina, and decreases shortness of breath. In some cases, oxygen therapy can increase life expectancy. Even people who need ongoing therapy due to chronic conditions can live normal lives.
Over time, COPD can lead to hypoxia, a condition marked by low oxygen levels. Discover the symptoms of COPD hypoxia here. Learn how to manage this….
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