This document talks about how oxygen plays a role in sustaining life through processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. It is a summary of the properties of oxygen.
It was discovered by Carl Wilhem Scheele in 1772, by heating potassium nitrate, mercuric
oxide as well as other substances.
It is the 3rd most abundant element in the universe
Physical Properties:
Melting point: -218,4 degrees celsius
Boiling point: -183 degrees celsius
Density: 1.429 g/litre
Oxygen is a strong oxidizing agent and has the second-highest electronegativity of all
reactive elements, second only to fluorine
At standard temperature and pressure (STP), two atoms of the element bind to form a
colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas with the formula O2.
Ozone: An allotrope of oxygen (symbol O3), it is a blue gas, generated from oxygen by
electrical discharge; it is poisonous and highly reactive, but it protects life on Earth by
absorbing solar ultraviolet radiation in the upper atmosphere.
Oxygen is more soluble in water than nitrogen; water contains approximately one molecule
of O2 for every two molecules of N2.
Importance of oxygen
Oxygen sustains life. Due to the fact that it comprises most of the mass in water, it also
comprises most of the mass of living organisms. The important structural molecules in living
organisms, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, contain oxygen, as well as the major
inorganic compounds that comprise animal shells, teeth, and bone. Oxygen (O2) is produced
by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants through the process of photosynthesis, and is used in
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