Why is this element important in everyday life?
Oxygen is important for everyday life because it has a central role in the inorganic world, forming compounds with almost every other element, and being required for basic life process of aerobic respiration, occurring in every living cells. It is used to produce energy; it is necessary for combustion of various fuels. Oxygen can also be used to remove impurities; the impurities rise to the top to be taken off.
Where is this element found in nature?
Oxygen is the most abundant in the earth's crust, water and the atmosphere. It composes 49.5% of the total mass of these components. Free oxygen only makes up about 20% of the Earth's atmosphere by volume. Free oxygen is not that abundant considering it forms compound with other elements so easily.
What are the properties of the element?
General Characteristics =
Oxygen is a colorless gas at room temperature. It turns into a pale blue liquid at temperatures lower than -118.6 degrees and pressures greater than 49.8 atm. It is a nonmetal. It is not that reactive and is not radioactive either. One of the most important compounds would be water.
Atomic Symbol = O
Period Number = 16
Group Number and Family Name = 16 and Oxygen Family
Atomic Number = 8
Atomic Mass =15.999u
Density =1.429g/mL
Melting Point =-218.8 degrees Celsius
Boiling Point =-183.0 degrees Celsius
Electron Configuration = 1s22s22p4
Shorthand Notation =[He]2s22p4
Common Reactions = None
Interesting Information =
Oxygen ?
Hello, my name is Oxygen and I'm here to tell you a little about myself. I am a diatomic element meaning I am found in nature covalently bonded with another atom like myself. As everyone knows I am needed for the basic life process on Earth, and being required in every cell of a living organism. This would lead everyone to believe that I have many friends. Well you guessed it all right; I can make compounds with just about all other elements very easily. So I never get that lonely. I am most abundant in the Earth's crust; I chemically combine with by friend's silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium, and titanium, to form most of the Earth's rocks and minerals. As much as I love these guys I would have to say that my best friend would have to be Hydrogen because together we make a very important compound, known as Dihydrogen oxide. Known to most as water and everyone knows that life couldn't continue without it. So maybe all those other elements are jealous of me, oh well. I have to say I am the most popular atom around. Yeah, maybe I am a little conceded but hey everyone wants to bond with me. Without Oxygen the world would be a boring place.
