Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Uses of Oxygen

Natural Use
1. All living organisms, including animals or human needs Oxygen for respiration, which is usually found in the surrounding air. The process is named as Aerobic Respiration.
2. Atmospheric Oxygen O2 is helpful to support combustion but is not a combustive gas itself.

Mechanical and Industrial Use
1. Supply of Oxygen packed in cylinders aid people who have trouble breathing due to inadequate amount of Oxygen. For example- Patients in hospitals, Mountaineers at high latitude, Under water divers, astronauts walking in space etc.
2. The combustive property of Oxygen is used to produce energy automobiles, ships, generators etc.
3. Liquid Oxygen is used in burning fuel in spacecrafts for generating required thrust in space where there is either air or oxygen.
4. Oxygen is used in the following industrial applications- Steel Manufacturing, Chemical Processing, Pulp and Paper, Metal Production and Fabrication, Glass Manufacturing and Petroleum Recovery and Refining.
5. Oxygen is used to convert coal to electricity for power generation.
6. Oxygen is used in Oxy-Acetylene torch. The Oxygen makes the flame more hotter.
Oxy-Acetylene Torch 


Some Compounds of Oxygen and their uses
Ozone is a well known compound of Oxygen. It is almost like Oxygen but it has an extra Oxygen atom. That's why, its sometimes called trioxygen. due to having more than two atoms, Ozone is much less stable than Oxygen. Ozone in the lower atmosphere pollutes air, causing problems of breathing for animals and burning sensitive plants. Therefore, Ozone exists on the upper atmosphere where it prevents damaging sun rays to reach us.


Some Machines and Process that uses Oxygen
The most known process that Oxygen is used in, is Oxygen Therapy. Its a kind of operation that is  used extensively all over the world. What this operation does is supplies human body with extra Oxygen. This kind of Therapy is usually used for a lot of emergency breathing problems. The most common one is acute Asthma or Pneumonia. 
Oxygen is used in Hyperbaric chambers. Hyperbaric chambers are usually used in Oxygen Therapies. It's also used when deep sea divers suffer from Oxygen shortage.
Some of the most often used Oxygen powered objects are for instance-Aircraft Emergency Oxygen System. This system is simply an air tight bag filled with purified Oxygen that is to be used during aircraft emergencies over normal latitude and atmosphere. There are other smaller version of Oxygen sprayers, almost like an EpiPen, but much more easier to use. These small Oxygen containers don't make a real difference during big emergencies but they do provide a refreshing effect after a long day's walk. (Oxygen containers containing 100% pure Oxygen is sometimes bad for your heart and lungs, so don't blame me if you end up having a heart disease due to immense consumption of purified Oxygen!!)


What are some positive impacts of Oxygen on Society?
Oxygen is something we are used to breathing form the very first day we were born. While we all need to sleep or drink to survive, the most basic and simple work like breathing and filling our lungs with oxygen is the most important necessity of life. As the number of population increase every single day, the amount of plants decrease, decreasing the level of Oxygen too. This may not seem like a big problem but within 10 or 20 years, Oxygen may turn into a rare gas, and if that happens, it would immediately diminish Humankind. Thus, Oxygen may be the most important thing on Earth. We should try to conserve it.

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