The Element Oxygen


We all know that we will not be here today if not for oxygen. It is such a vital element that we cannot imagine a world without it. An interesting fact about free oxygen gas is that it was almost non existent in earth’s atmosphere before photosynthetic bacteria evolved. Oxygen was first discovered by a Swedish Pharmacist named Carl Wilhelm Scheele who produced the gas by heating mercuric oxide and various other nitrites.

Oxygen is essential in medical field to treat conditions such as pneumonia, emphysema and any disease that inhibits the intake of oxygen. Another notable use of oxygen is it being used as a low pressure breathing gas in modern space suits. Other commercial uses of oxygen include the process of smelting iron ore to produce steel which consumes 55% commercially produced oxygen.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: O
Atomic Number: 8
Atomic Weight: 15.9994
Element Classification: Non-Metal
Discovered By: Joseph Priestly, Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Date of Discovery: 1774 (England/Sweden)
Origin of Name: Greek: oxys and genes, (acid former).

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas; pale blue liquid

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 1.149 (@ -183°C)
Melting Point (°K): 54.8
Boiling Point (°K): 90.19
Atomic Radius (pm): n/a
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 14.0
Covalent Radius (pm): 73
Ionic Radius: 132 (-2e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 3.44
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1313.1
Oxidation States: -2, -1
Electronic Configuration: [He] 2s2 2p4

Getting Intimate with Oxygen:

Lattice Structure: Cubic (CUB)
Lattice Constant (Å): 6.830
Lattice C/A Ratio: n/a
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.916 (O-O)
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): n/a
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): n/a
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): n/a


Society's Questions About Oxygen:

Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Oxygen? Is anyone else looking for it too? If so, why? What do they want?

The following list shows the most common online questions about the element Oxygen. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?

Top Oxygen Topics:

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