Oxygen – Element information and uses

Oxygen has the atomic symbol O, the atomic number 8, and the atomic weight of 16. Colourless, odourless, and tasteless, oxygen is a gas. It will help to sustain life. It is non-combustible, however it will actively help combustible items burn. Some materials that would not burn in the absence of oxygen will do so in the presence of oxygen. In oxygen, materials that burn in air will burn more vigorously. It is transported at pressures of 2000 psig or more as a non-liquid gas. Pure oxygen is incombustible. If exposed to fire or severe heat for an extended period of time, containers may crack violently and rocket. Oxygen is used to make synthesis gas from coal, as well as for resuscitation and inhalation. 

History of oxygen: 

The air, as we all know, is a mixture of gases. The atmosphere is made up of a variety of gases, including nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon, and other trace gases (1 percent ).

According to Earth’s history, cyanobacteria were the first to bring oxygen gas into the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. There was no life on Earth around 4.6 billion years ago because the atmosphere was devoid of oxygen. Later, oxygen levels gradually increased, and by the Carboniferous Period, 299 million years ago, oxygen levels had reached levels similar to today’s estimations.

Today, oxygen may be found freely in the air and dissolved in water. It is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere, as well as the most frequent element in human bodies. It is required for the survival of most life forms on Earth and is also found in biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. 

Valency of oxygen: 

Protons, neutrons, and electrons make up an atom. The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons, while electrons are found outside of it. Chemical bonds are formed with the help of electrons. The number of electrons that an atom must share, gain, or give in order to be stable is referred to as its valency. 

The valence shell of oxygen has six electrons. To reach the nearest noble gas configuration, two extra electrons are required.

As a result, oxygen has a valency of 2. 

Oxygen cycle: 

• The oxygen cycle, along with the carbon and nitrogen cycles, is essential for life on Earth to survive. The oxygen cycle is a biological system that flows through three primary spheres to maintain oxygen levels on the planet: 

• Atmosphere 

• Lithosphere 

• Biosphere

The movement of oxygen gas within the atmosphere, ecosystem, biosphere, and lithosphere is explained by this biogeochemical cycle. The carbon cycle and the oxygen cycle are linked. 

The atmosphere is the gaseous layer that exists above the surface of the world. A biosphere is made up of all of the Earth’s ecosystems. The lithosphere, together with the earth’s crust, is the biggest reserve of oxygen on the planet. 

Atmosphere: 

The process by which oxygen is released into the atmosphere is known as photolysis. High-energy sunlight rips apart oxygen-bearing molecules, releasing free oxygen in the process.

The photolysis process results in the ozone cycle. The UV radiation of sunshine breaks down an oxygen molecule (O2) to atomic oxygen. This free oxygen then reacts with existing O2 molecules to form O3, often known as ozone. This cycle is crucial because it serves to shelter the Earth from damaging UV light by converting it to safe heat before it reaches the surface. 

Biosphere: 

Respiration and photosynthesis are the two fundamental processes in the oxygen cycle in the biosphere. Animals and humans breathe by inhaling oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, both of which are used in metabolic processes. Plants and plankton perform photosynthesis, which is the opposite of this process. 

Lithosphere: 

Oxygen is fixed and trapped in minerals such as silicates and oxides in the lithosphere. This is the natural oxidation process, in which a pure element is oxidised when it comes into contact with oxygen.

Chemical weathering releases a fraction of the oxygen. When an oxygen-bearing mineral is exposed to the environment, it undergoes a chemical reaction that wears it down and creates free oxygen in the process. 

Stages of the oxygen cycle: 

The oxygen cycle includes the following steps:

Stage 1: During the process of photosynthesis, all green plants emit oxygen into the atmosphere as a by-product.

Stage 2: Free oxygen is used by all aerobic organisms for respiration.

Stage 3: Animals exhale carbon dioxide, which is then reabsorbed by plants during photosynthesis. The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere has reached a state of equilibrium. 

Importance of oxygen cycle: 

One of the most important components of the earth’s atmosphere is oxygen. It’s primarily used for:

• Breathing 

• Combustion 

• Providing support to marine life 

• Organic waste decomposition

Although oxygen is an essential component of life, it can be hazardous to some anaerobic bacteria (especially obligate anaerobes).

The oxygen cycle is primarily responsible for sustaining atmospheric oxygen levels. The oxygen cycle starts with photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight, releases oxygen into the atmosphere, which humans and animals breathe in while exhaling carbon dioxide, and then returns to the plants. This also demonstrates that the oxygen and carbon cycles occur simultaneously and are interrelated. 

Human influence on the oxygen cycle: 

Human activities have an impact on the oxygen cycle, as well as other biogeochemical cycles.

High Oxygen consumption activities include fossil fuel combustion, human and livestock respiration, and wildfire. Because of their dense populations, East Asia, India, eastern North America, Europe, and central Africa have high consumption rates. While wildfires account for the bulk of local Oxygen consumption in parts of central Africa.

The level of atmospheric oxygen appears to be reasonably steady despite the excessive burning of fossil fuels and the decline of natural vegetation on both land and water, which may be attributable to increased plant productivity due to agricultural developments around the world. 

Conclusion: 

To survive, most living things require oxygen. Oxygen aids in the growth, reproduction, and conversion of food into energy of organisms. Humans obtain oxygen by breathing into their lungs through their nose and mouth. Our cells require oxygen to break down food in order to obtain the energy they require to exist.