The chemical I will be writing this report on is oxygen. The name oxygen comes from the Greek word “oxygens,” which means “acid producer”. Dictionary.com defines oxygen as “a colorless, odorless, gaseous element constituting about one-fifth of the volume of the atmosphere and present in a combined state in nature.”
Oxygen has many uses today. First, oxygen is used by people, plants, and animals in the respiration process. Tanks of oxygen are used in the healthcare field to treat those who suffer from breathing problems. Oxygen is used as life support in activities such as scuba diving, astronauts use it as well in order to breathe when going into space. In the industry world, the majority of oxygen is used in manufacturing steel.
In the form dioxygen, O2, 20.9 mole percent of the atmosphere, 23 percent of air, 89 percent of water and about 46 percent of crustal rock. It is the most abundant element on Earth. 60 percent of the human body is comprised of oxygen and the element is essential for survival. Without oxygen, life would not be able to sustainable. …show more content…
Oxygen is slightly denser than air, is a poor conductor of heat and electricity and is slightly soluble in water. Oxygen is several times more soluble in alcohol than in water. Oxygen supports combustion but does not burn. Oxygen has an atomic number of eight (8) and an atomic mass of 15.9994 mol/g. Oxygen melts at -218.79º C and boils at -182.95º C. The density of oxygen is 1.429 g/L. Oxygen has a critical temperature of -118º C, this means oxygen can be liquefied once the gas is cooled it can be compressed. The liquid and solid forms of oxygen are both pale blue in color. The atomic number of eight (8) means the chemical contains eight (8) protons, electrons and neutrons. Oxygen is classified as a nonmetal, which has two energy levels. Oxygen is also slightly