Category: Nonmetal
Atomic Number: 8
Period: 2 | Group: 16
Block: p-block
The element that rusts iron, burns fuel and keeps you alive — and the most abundant element in the Earth's crust.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Gas |
| Density | 0.00142900 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 54.36 K (-218.79 °C) |
| Boiling Point | 90.20 K (-182.95 °C) |
| Heat Capacity | N/A |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 15.9990 u |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 3.44 |
| Oxidation States | -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 |
| Electron Configuration | [He] 2s² 2p⁴ |
| Discovered By | Joseph Priestley and Carl Wilhelm Scheele |
|---|---|
| Discovery Year | 1774 |
| Named After | Greek oxys + genes, "acid-former" |
| ISOTOPE | Neutrons | Natural Abundance | Half-life | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-15 | 7 | - | 122.24 sec | ε/β⁺ |
| O-16 | 8 | 99.757% | Stable | - |
| O-17 | 9 | 0.03835% | Stable | - |
| O-18 | 10 | 0.2045% | Stable | - |
Data: IAEA Nuclear Data Section, LiveChart of Nuclides, ground-state evaluations, retrieved October 10, 2026. Abundance is the share of atoms in the natural element; a dash means the isotope has no standard natural abundance.
Industrial Applications and Manufacturing
Steel and Metal Production
The largest industrial use of oxygen is in steel manufacturing , where it dramatically improves efficiency and quality:
Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) - Pure oxygen is blown through molten iron to remove carbon, producing high-quality steel in 30-40 minutes instead of hours
Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) - Oxygen injection increases melting rates and improves energy efficiency in recycling steel scrap
Cutting and welding - Oxy-acetylene and oxy-fuel torches reach temperatures over 3,500°C for precise metal cutting
Copper smelting - Oxygen enrichment reduces fuel consumption and increases production rates
Aluminum production - Oxygen helps remove impurities during aluminum refining processes
Chemical Manufacturing and Processing
Oxygen serves as a critical oxidizing agent in numerous industrial processes:
Ethylene oxide production - Direct oxidation of ethylene produces this key chemical intermediate for antifreeze and plastics
Vinyl chloride synthesis - Oxygen-based processes create the precursor for PVC plastic production
Propylene oxide manufacturing - Essential for producing polyurethane foams and propylene glycol
Titanium dioxide production - Oxygen helps create the white pigment used in paints, plastics, and paper
Hydrogen peroxide synthesis - Anthraquinone process uses oxygen to produce this versatile oxidizing agent
Pulp and Paper Industry
Oxygen transformed paper manufacturing through environmentally friendly bleaching:
Oxygen delignification - Removes lignin from wood pulp without chlorine compounds
Ozone bleaching - Generates bright white paper with minimal environmental impact
Hydrogen peroxide bleaching - Oxygen-based bleaching creates high-quality recycled paper
Biological treatment - Oxygen enhances bacterial breakdown of organic pollutants in paper mill wastewater
Wastewater Treatment and Environmental Applications
Oxygen-based technologies clean water and reduce pollution:
Activated sludge process - Aerobic bacteria use oxygen to break down organic pollutants
Ozonation - Ozone (O₃) destroys bacteria, viruses, and organic contaminants
Advanced oxidation processes - Hydroxyl radicals generated from oxygen compounds eliminate persistent pollutants
Groundwater remediation - Oxygen injection stimulates biodegradation of soil contaminants
Aquaculture - Oxygen injection maintains fish health in intensive farming operations
Aerospace and Rocket Propulsion
Liquid oxygen (LOX) is the most widely used rocket oxidizer:
Space Shuttle program - LOX and liquid hydrogen powered the main engines
SpaceX Falcon rockets - Use RP-1 fuel with liquid oxygen oxidizer
Blue Origin - BE-4 engines burn methane with liquid oxygen
Life support systems - Oxygen generation and recycling for spacecraft and space stations
Hypersonic flight - Scramjet engines use atmospheric oxygen for high-speed propulsion
Glass Manufacturing
Oxygen combustion improves glass production efficiency and quality:
Oxy-fuel furnaces - Pure oxygen combustion reaches higher temperatures with less fuel
Reduced emissions - Lower NOx production compared to air-fuel combustion
Improved glass quality - Higher temperatures enable better melting and homogenization
Energy efficiency - 15-50% reduction in fuel consumption compared to conventional furnaces
Air separation, water electrolysis
| Earth's Crust | 0.4610000000 ppm |
|---|---|
| Universe | 0.0104000000 % |