An Introduction to Elements

Periodic Table

What's an Element? The substance that can't be broken down any further, or the core of an object is called an Element. All major elements are grouped in a table according to their atomic mass. This table is called the Periodic Table. Dimitri Mendeleev, A Russian chemist, created the periodic table for the first time in 1869. And after that, the Periodic Table was slowly improved.


The Elements are everywhere. Starting from the pencil you write with to the planet we live in, everything contains at least one element. Even human body contains elements. There are more than 117 different elements. Starting from Hydrogen to Lithium, Sodium, Barium, Boron, Carbon and 100s more. But to me the most important element is the Oxygen.

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OXYGEN- An Element

Oxygen is the 8th element on the Periodic Table. With an Atomic number of 8 and an atomic mass of 16, the symbol that describes Oxygen is O. Oxygen is a gas. It is known to be a highly reactive non-metallic element that could form oxides. You may be surprised to know this, but Oxygen comprises of two-third of human body's mass! Proteins, Carbohydrates or Fat found in living organism also contain Oxygen. Let's try breathing. Take a long deep breath, and let go. What is it that you just took in? You took in Oxygen.

Oxygen on the Periodic Table

Where did this oxygen come from? It came from air. 20.95% of Earth's atmosphere contains Oxygen. 78.08% Nitrogen and .038% of Carbon Dioxide and the rest contains some other gases. Thus, Oxygen is a gas that our lives depend on. We can't even spend 1 minute without appropriate amount of Oxygen.

That's how big a role is played by Oxygen in our daily lives.

Oxygen-The History

Oxygen was produced in many experiments conducted by scientists like Robert Hooke, Ole Borche, Mikhail Lomonosov and Pierre Bayen. But none of them realized that Oxygen was an element.Oxygen was first discovered by Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. He produced Oxygen gas by heating Mercuric-oxide and various nitrates. 

Carl Wilhelm Scheele

Scheele named Oxygen "Fire Air" because it was the only combustible gas then known to exist. He wrote a manuscript on account of his discovery that he titled "Treatise on Air and Fire". 
He sent the manuscript to his publisher in 1775. But the document was not published till 1777.

"Treatise on Air and Fire"
By Carl  Wilhelm Scheele

In the meantime, A British clergyman Joseph Priestley conducted an experiment regarding the production of a gas on August 1, 1774. He noted that the gas that he produced could make the candle burn brighter. It could also make a mouse be more active and live longer. He also noticed that this gas filled his lungs with an odd full sensation.
Later during 1777, Lavoisier first discovered that Oxygen was an element. First the gas was named "vital air".
But later, Lavoisier named "Vital Air" Oxygene in 1777. And that's how Oxygen entered the English language.

The Properties Of Oxygen

Part 1 Physical Properties  
As we all know, Oxygen has no color, odor or taste. The density of Oxygen is a bit more than air. The liquid and solid state of Oxygen takes a pale blue color. Oxygen is invisible as are most of the gases. The boiling point of Oxygen is 183 degree Celsius. The melting point of Oxygen is 218.4 degree Celsius. Oxygen is the leading member of the group VIA Elements-The Chalcogens. Some metallic elements absorb considerable amount of oxygen gas in their liquid state. Molten Silver, Gold, Platinum, Finely Divided Platinum, Palladium and Palladium Sponge all absorbs Oxygen. 

Oxygen (The gas is not visible as it is colorless)

Part 2  Chemical Properties

Oxygen has a lot of chemical properties. Some are listed below-

1. It is the essential element for the respiration processes of most of the living cells.

2. Oxygen supports combustion, although its non-combustible itself. All substance that usually burns in air, would burn with an extended amount of brilliance in presence of Oxygen.

3. Oxygen combines with almost all elements.

4. Oxygen is the component of hundreds of thousands of organic compounds.

5. Oxygen can be separated from air by distillation.

6. It is a very reactive oxidizing agent.

7. The electronegativity of Oxygen is 3.4.

8. We have to breathe Oxygen to live.

9. Dissolved Oxygen in rivers and other bodies of water breaks down organic wastes such as raw sewage

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Oxygen Anyone?



Even Batman needs Oxygen!!





Sources of Oxygen

Where and how is the element naturally found?

Oxygen is extensively found in a lot of sources of nature. Oxygen can be found in water. As we know, water s also known as H20, which means that water is a combination of 1 part oxygen and 2 parts hydrogen. Thus, water contains Oxygen. That's how Fish and other aquatic creatures breathe. They breathe in Water and their body separates the hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atoms. When we are near any trees or green plants we are definitely in presence of Oxygen. Because as we may all know that trees breathe out Oxygen and take in Carbon-Dioxide (CO2). Thus, the Oxygen breathe out by Oxygen accumulates around its surroundings and slowly moves on to some other place. Therefore, when we are near trees or plants, we are surrounded by Oxygen and only a small amount of other gases. Oxygen is found in the bloodstream of all living animals. Human body contains a considerable amount of Oxygen.

What is the relative abundance of Oxygen in nature?
The Isotopic abundance of Oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is 99.759%.

How is Oxygen isolated or obtained from it's natural form?

*What is the name of the process used to extract Oxygen?

Oxygen is mainly found in the air, which means its almost everywhere. Oxygen is extracted from air by changing it into a liquid state. This process is usually known as fractional distillation of air. German physicist Karl P.G von Linde pioneered the liquefaction of air(Oxygen) for the first time. Georges Claude also devised machines in 1902 by himself, for the liquefaction and distillation of air. During this process air is contained and then put through a variety of purification, heat, temperature and some other steps. At the end of the distillation a few gases including Nitrogen is distilled leaving liquid Oxygen. Oxygen also produced through multiple fractionation is 99.5% pure, which is sufficient for most industrial applications. Oxygen is then distributed through steel cylinders, or pipelines to places that needs Oxygen to perform various tasks. Liquid Oxygen is stored in special tanks, that can hold Oxygen at its normal temperatures and away from its boiling point. Oxygen could also be extracted from water using Electrolysis. It can be extracted also by conducting Thermal Decomposition of Peroxides.

Cryogenic Air Separation Plant

Therefore, the processes used to extract Oxygen is called fractional distillation, multiple fractionation, Electrolysis and Thermal Decomposition of Peroxides. Some other ways in which Oxygen can be produced are Cryogenic Air Separation and Pressure Swing Absorption. (psa)

Similar Elements And Compounds

Oxygen is highly reactive and combines with almost all elements on the periodic table except for some highly inert noble gases. Oxygen forms compound with even the rarest of elements, like-Promethium, Neptunium, Technetium etc. It also forms compounds with some of the least reactive elements like-Xenon, Gold and Platinum. The synthetic elements that Oxygen reacts with includes Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Einsteinium and Californium. The noble gases that Oxygen usually do not react with include Helium, Neon, Argon and Krypton.
Most non-metals react similarly to Oxygen. But if we want to be more specific, all elements from the group of Oxygen (Group 16) reacts similarly to Oxygen. This is because of one of the most important property of the periodic table. Which is, the elements in each group has their individual and unique properties which are similar to each other. And the element that has the most closest properties to Oxygen is Sulphur. We will know about Oxygen compounds further more a bit later.