Tag: oxygen

Oxygen ( /ˈɒksɨdʒən/ OK-si-jən) is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys) (“acid”, literally “sharp”, referring to the sour taste of acids) and -γόνος (-gοnos) (“producer”, literally “begetter”), because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition. At standard temperature and pressure, two atoms of the element bind to form dioxygen, colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas with the formula O2. This compound is an important part of the atmosphere, and is necessary to sustain terrestrial life.
Oxygen is a member of the chalcogen group on the periodic table and is a highly reactive nonmetallic element that readily forms compounds (notably oxides) with almost all other elements. Oxygen is a strong oxidizing agent and has the second-highest electronegativity of all reactive elements, second only to fluorine. By mass, oxygen is the third-most abundant element in the…