--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Explain oxygen and its preparation.

Karl Scheele, the Swedish chemist, was the first to prepare oxygen by heating mercuric oxide in 1772. He recognized the gas as one of the major constituents of atmospheric air and called it 'fire air'. Joseph Priestley, the English chemist also prepared oxygen by focusing the sun rays by means of a double lens on mercuric oxide. Priestley published his results in 1774 and has been regarded as the discoverer of oxygen. However, its elemental nature was proved by Lavoisier.

Oxygen is first element of group 16 of periodic table. It may be called the head of chalcogens family. Its configuration (1s22s22p4)shows the presence of six electrons in the valence shell. It does show some characteristics which are not shown by other members of the family because of its small size. For example, it is able to form pπ-pπ bonding and exists as diatomic molecule (O2). The other elements of the group do not exist as diatomic molecule due to their inability to form pπ-pπ bonding.

Isotopes of oxygen

Oxygen has three naturally occurring isotopes which are:

1870_dioxygen.png 

Out of these three isotopes, O-18 is radioactive in nature and finds frequent use in studying the mechanisms of organic reactions and other trace techniques. Like hydrogen, oxygen also exists in the elementary form as diatomic molecule (O2) and is referred to as dioxygen. 

Terrestrial abundance and distribution

Oxygen is the most abundant element on the surface of the earth. In Free State, it occurs in air and constitutes 21% by volume of air and 23% by weight. In the combined state, it constitutes 89% by mass of water and 50% by mass of earth's solid crust. In earth's solid crust, it is mainly present as silicates, carbonates, aluminates and oxides of metals.

Almost all the dioxygen in atmosphere is believed to be the result of photosynthesis by green plants which can be represented as 

1915_dioxygen1.png 

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Diffusion Molecular View When the

    When the diffusion process is treated as the movement of particles through a solvent the diffusion coefficient can be related to the effective size of diffusing particles and the viscosity of the medium.To see how the experimental coefficients can be treat

    		•
  • Q : Explain Vapour Pressure Composition A

    A pressure composition diagram for a liquid vapor system can be used to show the composition of the liquid and equilibrium vapor.Vapor equilibrium data are useful in the study of distillations. It is of value to have diagrams showing not only the vapor pre

    		•
  • Q : Problem based on normality Choose the

    Choose the right answer from following. NaClO solution reacts with H2SO3 as,. NaClO + H2SO3→NaCl+ H2SO4. A solution of NaClO utilized in the above reaction contained 15g of NaClO per litre. The

    		•
  • Q : Decinormal concentration of Sulfuric

    Give me answer of this question. The volume of water to be added to 100cm3 of 0.5 N N H2SO4 to get decinormal concentration is : (a) 400 cm3 (b) 500cm3 (c) 450cm3 (d)100cm3

    		•
  • Q : What is laser and explain its working?

    Laser action relies on a non-Boltzmann population inversion formed by the absorption of radiation and vibrational deactivation that forms a long lived excited electronic state. An excited state molecule can move to a lower energy state or return to the

    		•
  • Q : Molarity 20mol of hcl solution requires

    20mol of hcl solution requires 19.85ml of 0.01 M NAOH solution for complete neutralisation. the molarity of hcl solution

    		•
  • Q : Question on Raoults law Give me answer

    Give me answer of this question. For a dilute solution, Raoult's law states that: (a) The lowering of vapour pressure is equal to mole fraction of solute (b) The relative lowering of vapour pressure is equal to mole fraction of solute (c) The relative lowering of v

    		•
  • Q : What is Ideal Mixtures Ideal mixing

    Ideal mixing properties can be recognized in the formation of an ideal gas mixture from ideal gases. Consider the formation of a mixture of gases i.e. a gaseous solution, from two mixtures of pure gases. A useful characterization of an ideal mixture, or soluti

    		•
  • Q : Organic structure of cetearyl alcohol

    Show the organic structure of cetearyl alcohol and state what the organic family is? Briefly state it.

    		•
  • Q : What is electrolytic dissociation? The

    The Debye Huckel theory shows how the potential energy of an ion in solution depends on the ionic strength of the solution.Except at infinite dilution, electrostatic interaction between ions alters the properties of the solution from those excepted from th

    		•