Dioxygen

The presence of Dioxygen is essential for life to exist. Dioxygen belongs to the Chalcogen group of the modern periodic table, and it is a highly reactive nonmetal. Since Oxygen is a diatomic molecule, Dioxygen is formed when two atoms of the same element join. It’s the universe’s third-most-common element.

In its free state, this gas makes up about 21% of the Earth’s atmosphere. O2 is Oxygen’s chemical formula. In the Earth’s crust, it is the most plentiful element.

Dioxygen is commonly called Oxygen, but it is also called Dioxygen, molecular Oxygen, or oxygen gas to prevent confusion with elemental Oxygen.

Properties of Dioxygen

Physical Properties 

• Dioxygen is a gas that has no odour, colour, or flavour.

• With a density of 1.429 g/L, it’s heavier than air.

• It’s just minimally soluble in water, yet that’s enough to keep aquatic life alive.

• Oxygen melts at 54.36 degrees Celsius and boils at 90.188 degrees Celsius.

• Oxygen can exist in solid, liquid, or gas form, depending on the temperature and pressure.

• The paramagnetic nature of liquid Oxygen is well known.

Chemical Properties 

It forms oxides of practically all metals and nonmetals when reacting directly.

4Na + O2 → 2Na2O (with metal)

C + O2 → CO2 (with non-metal)

Its magnetic properties are paramagnetic.

Acids and bases do not typically react with Oxygen.

Because Oxygen is an excellent oxidant, it aids combustion.

Fuel + O2 → CO2 + H2O

Ex- CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O

The production of rust on iron is caused by Oxygen in combination with moisture.

Fe + O2 + H2O → Fe2O3n.H2O (hydrated iron oxide)

After fluorine, it is the element with the highest electronegative potential.

The diatomic gas is an extremely powerful oxidiser.

2SO2 + O2 → 2SO3

It becomes a pale blue liquid when it condenses.

Preparation of Dioxygen 

 Dioxygen Synthesis in the Laboratory

 Dioxygen can be produced in the laboratory in a variety of methods.

 Dioxygen is produced by the thermal decomposition of metal oxides in the electrochemical series with relatively low electrode potential, such as Mercury and Silver Oxides.

 2HgO (s) → 2Hg(l) + O2(g)

 2PbO2(s) → 2PbO(s) + O2(g)

 Hydrogen peroxide breakdown also produces Oxygen; thus, manganese (IV) oxide is used as a catalyst to speed up the process.

 2H2O2(aq) → 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

 When thermally decomposed, oxygen-rich salts such as nitrates and permanganates create Dioxygen.

 2KNO3 → 2KNO2 + O2

 2KMnO4 → K2MnO4 + MnO2 + O2

 2NaNO3 → 2NaNO2 + O2

 Dioxygen is produced through the catalytic breakdown of Sodium Potassium Chlorate using Magnesium dioxide as the catalyst.

 2KClO3 → 2KCl + 3O2

 At 420K, in the presence of MnO2, this reaction happens on heating.

 Oxygen Production in Industry

 There are two basic ways to manufacture O2 from the air.

 N2 distils as a vapour, whereas O2 remains a liquid in the fractional distillation of liquified air. A blend of liquids makes up liquid air.  Nitrogen is more flammable because of its low boiling point. The pure Oxygen is left behind as it boils up first.

 Another method involves passing clean, dry air through one bed of a pair of zeolite molecular sieves, which absorbs the N2 gas and produces 90% to 93% oxygen gas.

 Uses of Dioxygen 

• The process of breathing requires Dioxygen.

 It’s found in hospitals and climbing oxygen cylinders.

 In the form of oxyacetylene, it’s utilised for welding and cutting metals.

 When oxygen and acetylene gas combine, an oxy-acetylene flame is created, which can be used to cut and weld metals.

 Nitric acid is made from it.

 It’s a carbon dioxide or methane-based artificial respiration system.

 In laser cutting, Oxygen is employed.

 Combustion processes rely on Oxygen. Materials that don’t burn well in the air do well in Oxygen; therefore, combining the two improves combustion.

 The process of cleaning wastewater and treating sewage involves the use of Oxygen.

 Rocket fuel contains liquid Oxygen, which is a necessary component.

 Oxygen Facts

It accounts for approximately 50% of the crust of the earth, making it one of the most abundant elements on the planet. Besides being the third most plentiful element in the universe, oxygen is also the most abundant element in the human body, accounting for 65 per cent of the total mass of the body. Oxygen constitutes 1% of the Sun’s total mass. Oxygen is essential for the survival of all life on Earth.

 Colourless, odourless, and tasteless is how oxygen gas is described. It’s commonly purified by fractional distillation of liquefied air. Still, Dioxygen can also be found in water, silica, and carbon dioxide.

 The divalent molecule O2 is generally found in oxygen gas. Another type of pure Oxygen is ozone or O3. Although the ion commonly binds to other elements, atomic Oxygen, sometimes known as “singlet oxygen,” does exist in nature. The upper atmosphere is a source of singlet oxygen. An oxidation number of -2 is assigned to a single atom of Oxygen. 

Oxygen is classified as a nonmetal. Although it has a low thermal and electrical conductivity, it has a high electronegativity and ionisation energy. Brittle, not malleable or ductile, is the solid form. Covalent chemical bonds are formed when atoms gain electrons easily.

 The aurora’s vivid red, green, and yellow-green hues are caused by excited Oxygen. It is the most important chemical in producing vivid and colourful auroras.

It’s the most important molecule for creating vivid and colourful auroras.

 Conclusion 

Oxygen is a gaseous chemical element with the symbol O and the atomic number 8 that makes up 21% of air and 46% of the Earth’s crust, making it the most abundant element. Dioxygen is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas that occurs naturally as the diatomic molecule O2 and is referred to as Dioxygen. In its natural state, Dioxygen is magnetic. This type of Oxygen is used as an oxygen supplement in medicine, for breathing, in metal cutting and welding, as an oxidant in water treatment, and as rocket fuel, among other applications.