O
Oxygen
What is oxygen?
Oxygen gas is a non-metal and a chalcogen. Oxygen has no odour, and no colour. Its name originates from two Greek words; "oxys" and "genes", which combined together mean "acid forming".
How or where is oxygen used?
Oxygen plays a great part in supporting life. Humans, animals, and plants rely on oxygen in respiration daily . Oxygen has a huge role in cellular respiration, in which it is used to break down glucose and store its energy in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules.
Oxygen is also used in steel production. Carbon impurities are removed from steel to form carbon dioxide gas by reaction with oxygen.
Pure oxygen is often used to help breathing in patients with respiratory ailments.
Oxygen is also used as an oxidant for rocket fuel in oxyacetylene welding, and in ethylene and methanol production.
Oxygen can also be used in art restoration. It is effective in removing carbon based dirt, compared to using methylene chloride and acetone.
Objects containing oxygen such as oxygen cylinders can be used for welding- cutting and shaping metal. The mixture of acetylene and oxygen produces flame temperatures as high 6000 degrees fahrenheit.
What is atomic number?
Atomic number represents which element an atom is. The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
In this case, the atomic number of oxygen is 8.
What is atomic mass?
Atomic mass is the avg. mass of atoms of an element. It is calculated using the abundance of isotopes in a naturally occuring element.
In this case, the average atomic mass of oxygen is 16.00.
Fun facts on oxygen
- Throughout the universe, oxygen is the 3rd most abundant element
- Oxygen atoms cause the green and red colours in the aurora borealis
- 2/3 of the weight of living things comes from oxygen
- Half of of the weight of the Earth's crust comes from oxygen (Earth's crush is made of 4 other elements- aluminum, calcium, silicon, and iron)
- Oxygen must often be replenished by photosynthesis in green plants, because it is unstable in the Earth's atmosphere and without it, we would be left with very little oxygen
Here is a brief video demonstrating the interaction of oxygen with other elements:
Resources:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryglossary/a/atomicmassdef.htm
http://www.chemicool.com/elements/oxygen.html
http://education.jlab.org/glossary/atomicnumber.html
http://www.ehow.com/list_6962295_uses-oxygen-cylinders.html
http://www.chem4kids.com/files/elements/008_shells.html
http://www.chemicool.com/elements/oxygen.html
http://chemistry.about.com/od/elementfacts/a/oxygen.htm
http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/o.html
http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele008.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wveY2-lCo
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