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Interesting Facts About Oxygen (O)

kevin | Oct 1, 2008 | Views: 8,430 |

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9 Oxygen (O) Facts

Oxygen, you all know what it is, without it I’m not writing this article and you aren’t reading it. It is one of the basic building blocks of life itself, but besides just that, it has many other interesting facts about it, some you may have not known.

1. Oxygen forms chemical bonds with almost all other elements, creating the corresponding oxides. For example, rust is actually the formation of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) and Lime is actually calcium oxide (CaO).

2. Oxygen on Earth actually usually exists in the form of O₂ called dioxygen, but also exists as O₃, ozone, mostly in the atmosphere but also exists on the surface in smog.

3. The O₃ in our atmosphere helps to protect the Earth from UV rays from the Sun. If the UV rays we’re able to pass through the atmosphere unhindered, life would not be able to survive. Ironically O₃ on the surface is harmful to animal lung tissue.

4. Oxygen is the 3rd most abundant element by mass in the Universe, behind Hydrogen and Helium, and the most abundant element by mass in the Earth’s crust.

5. O₂, in liquid form and in the presence of a magnetic field, forms a magnet and has been shown to be able to form a bridge, between the two poles of a magnet, capable of supporting its own weight.

6. Aside from being one of the two elements that bond to form water (H₂O), oxygen also dissolves into water, which is the oxygen that fish and other creatures breathe.

7. At the present rate of creation, by photosynthesis, and consumption, by respiration and decay, the entire Earth’s oxygen is renewed every 2000 years.

8. The bright red color of your blood is because of the oxygen attached to your red blood cells. After those red blood cells have released their oxygen and picked up a Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) you blood turns a dark red, or a maroon color.

9. Humans inhale more than 6 billion tones of oxygen each year.

Tags: Oxygen; Chemical Element; Life; Ozone; Blood;

Category

Chemical Elements

Comments

DougWare

Oct 2, 2008 5:03pm

Sorry, but number 8 simply is not true. As a former EMT I've seen many shades of blood and they are all red.

It is true that oxygenated blood (in your arteries) is bright red. However, the blood in your veins that is oxygen poor/carbon-dioxide rich is not blue. You could call it dark red, crimson or burgundy...but no one would call it blue.

kevin

Oct 3, 2008 5:00am

Looks like you are right Doug. I did some checking around and it seems it only appears blue through your skin because of how the light is absorbed and reflected by your skin and blood. Looks like my biology teacher is a big fat liar.

BlogMoney

Jun 10, 2009 9:12am

very nice article