Oxygen

Prepared by
Om Prakash Sahani
Oxygen
 Symbol: O
 Atomic number: 8
 Atomic mass: 16amu
 Electronic configuration: 1S2,2S22P4
 Valency: 2
 Discovered by: Joseph Priestly
 Greak, Oxy- Sour, genas- producer: Acid

producer
Position of oxygen in the periodic table

The electronic configuration of oxygen is

1S2,2S22P4. So, this element is placed in the p-
block in the group VIA or group 16 along with
sulphur(S), selenium(Se), Tellurium(Te) and
Polonium(Po).
All these elements are often collectively known
as chalcogens( ore forming) because their
metallic compounds occur in nature in the form
of oxides, sulphides, selenides and tellurides.
Oxygen is most electronegative, very reactive
and powerful oxidant in chemical reactions.
Allotropes of oxygen

 Isotopes of oxygen: 8O16, 8O17, 8O18

Allotropy is the property of an element
existing in two or more different forms in the
same physical state. The different forms of
the same elements are called as allotropes
and the phenomenon is called as allotropism.
Allotropes of an element are chemically
identical but they differ in physical properties
such as rate of reaction, M.pt, B.pt, density,
internal energy etc.
Allotropes of oxygen are O2(Di-oxygen or
molecular oxygen), O3(tri-oxygen or Ozone)

Oxides:
An oxide is a binary compound of oxygen and
another element which are less
electronegative than oxygen. OR An oxide is
a compound of two element of which one is
oxygen.
Binary compounds of oxygen with metals are
metallic oxides while that with non-metals
are called non-metallic oxides. For example
CO2, CO, Fe2O3, CaO, Na2O, H2O etc.
Oxides:

Metallic oxides Non-metallic

oxides
Basic oxides Acidic oxides
Amphoteric oxides Neutral oxides
Peroxides
Superoxides
Mixed oxides
Sub-oxides
Di-oxides
Basic oxides:

A basic oxide is a metallic oxide, which

reacts with an acid to produce a salt and
water. Such dissolve in water to form base .
Mostly, oxides of group IA metals are basic
except BeO which is amphoteric. For
example Na2O, MgO, Li2O, K2O, FeO etc.
Na2O +2HCl 2NaCl + H2O
Fe2O3 + 6HCl 2FeCl3 + 3H2O
Generally, more active metals like Na, K, Ca easily
dissolve in water to form alkalies. For example

Na2O + H2O 2NaOH

CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2
Acidic Oxides:
An acidic oxide is a non-metallic oxide
which when combined with water produces
an acid. These oxides are also called as
anhydrides of corresponding acids. For
example SO2, CO2, SO3, NO2 etc.
SO2 + H2O H2SO3( Sulphurous acid)
CO2 + H2O H2CO3( Sulphuric acid)

N2O5 + H2O 2HNO3( Nitric

acid)
It reacts with base and form salt and water
CO2 +2NaOH Na2CO3 + H2O
NO2 + 2NaOH NaNO3 + NaNO2 + H2O
Certain higher oxides of metals are acidic.
CrO3 + H2O H2CrO4(Chromic acid)
SnO2 + H2O H2SnO3(Stannic acid)
Neutral oxides:

Those oxides which are neither acidic nor

basic are neutral oxides. Oxides which
neither reacts with acids nor with base are
called neutral oxides. For example NO, H2O,
CO, N2O etc.
Amphoteric oxides:
Those oxides which exhibit the properties of
both acidic and basic oxides are called as
amphoteric oxides. OR
Oxides that react with both acids as well as
bases to form salt and water are called as
amphoteric oxides.
For example ZnO, Al2O3, PbO, As2O3, BeO,
SnO etc.
ZnO + 2HCl ZnCl2 +H2O
basic oxide Zinc chloride

ZnO + NaOH Na2ZnO2 + H2O

Acidic oxide Sodium zincate

Al2O3 + 2NaOH 2NaAlO2 + H2O

Acidic oxide Sod. Meta aluminate

Al2O3 + 3H2SO4 Al2(SO4)3 + 3H2O

Peroxides:

Those oxides which give hydrogen peroxide

with dilute acids and oxygen gas with
concentrated acids are called as peroxides.
OR Oxides that contain peroxide linkage( -
O-O-) and oxygen has a -1 oxidation
number are also called as peroxides. For
example Na2O2, K2O2, BaO2, H2O2 etc
Na2O2 + dilH2SO4 Na2SO4 +
H2O2
Na2O2 + ConcH2SO4 2Na2SO4+ O2 +
H2O
BaO2+ dilH2SO4 BaSO4+H2O2
2BaO2+Conc2H2SO4 2BaSO4+2H2O+O2
Mixed oxides:
Oxides that are a mixture of two simpler
oxides of the same element in different
valency are called as mixed oxides. For
example Fe3O4, Pb3O4, Mn3O4 etc.
Fe3O4+8HCl 2FeCl3+FeCl2+4H2O
Pb3O4+4HNO3 2Pb(NO3)2+2H2O+PbO2
Periodic trend of the oxides:

On moving from left to right in a given

period, the nature of oxides changes from
basic to amphoteric and then to strongly
acidic. On moving down a group, acidic
character of the oxides decreases.
Uses of oxygen:
 Oxygen is necessary for the combustion of
fuel required to run the machine, furnace
etc.
Oxygen is required to make oxy-hydrogen flame and
oxy-acetylene flame which is used for weilding and
cutting very thick steel plates.
 It is used as an oxidizing agent in
laboratories and industries.
 Used in metallurgical process to remove the

impurities of metals and non-metals by

oxidation.
 It is used for artificial respiration in
hospitals.
 Oxygen therapy is essential for poisoning,

cardioc or respiratory arrest, shock and

serious trauma patients.
It is used as an aid to breathing like in high altitude
flying or climbing, when aneasthetic are administered to
a patient, in mines or under the sea.

Uses of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2):

 Extensively used as a mild bleaching agent
for paper, wood pulp and textiles.
 It is used as antiseptic for treatment of

wounds, teeth and ear.

 It is used for the manufacture of sodium

peroxo borate which is used as a brightener

in washing powder.
 It is used as rocket fuel.
 It is used as a laboratory reagent.
Ozone:

Ozone is tri-atomic molecule of oxygen

having molecular formula O3 and molecular
weight 48. It is a pale blue gas mainly
present in the stratosphere in the form of a
layer known as ozonosphere. It is an
allotropic form of oxygen.
It occurs mostly in the atmosphere from 12-
24kms from the earth surface. It is formed
naturally in the stratosphere by the action
of ultraviolet radiation from the sun on
oxygen.
3O2 2O3+68kcal
Ozone

Preparation of Ozone:
Formation of Ozone is an endothermic
process. Since, oxygen is never converted
into ozone completely . We get mixture of
ozone and oxygen. This mixture is called
Ozonized oxygen.
It is prepared by passing a silent electric
(Sparkless) discharge through pure and dry
oxygen at low temperature in an apparatus
called ozonier.
Types: (1) Siemen`s ozonier and
(2) Brodie`s ozonier

It consists of two glass

tubes sealed at one
end. The inner surface
of inner tubes and
outer surface of outer
tubes are coated with
tin foil which acts as
electrodes.

Siemen`s Ozonier
Pure and dry oxygen is passed through the annular
space between two tubes where it is partially
converted into ozone by the action of silent electric
discharge. As a result, 10-15% ozone is formed and exit
out.
Uses of Ozone:
 It is used as germicide, disinfectant,
sterilizing of water as it is most powerful
oxidizing action.
 It is used for improving atmosphere of

croweded places.
 It is used to locate double bond between

two carbon atoms.

 It is used to prepare aldehydes and ketones.
Test for Ozone:

 It is a pale blue gas with a pungent smell.

 Tailing of mercury test:
A drop of mercury wets the surface of glass
and forms a tail in presence of ozone. This is
called as tailing of mercury.
2Hg+O2 Hg2O+ O2
Mercurous oxide

 It turns starch iodine paper into blue.

2KI+H2O+O3 2KOH+O2+I2
I2+ starch blue colour
Structure of Ozone:

Ozone molecule has a

bent structure with
bond angle of 116.8`
around the central
atom. The bond
lengths are equal to
1.278Ao which is
intermediate between
the oxygen-oxygen
single and double
bonds.
Resonating structure
Depletion of ozone layer:

The ozone sphere acts as an absorbent of all

harmful radiation coming from the sun and
space and hence behaves as the protective
umbrella for the living organisms on the earth.
Due to excessive use of
chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs), excessive use of
nitrogenous fertilizers, unregulated rocket
lunches and nuclear tests, cleaning products
and fire extinguishers, volcanic eruption etc.
main ozone depleting compounds
chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) , commonly known
as ferrous.
CF2Cl2 UV CF2Cl+Cl
Cl+O3 O2+OCl

OCl UV O + Cl
O(g)+ O3 2O2(g)

It is estimated that 1 molecule of CFC can

destroy 100000 molecules of O3.
Effects of ozone layer depletion:
1.Cause skin burns, melanoma, skin cancer,
leukemia, breast cancer, Lung cancer,
cataracts, eye cancer, weekend immune
system etc.
2. May damage the genetic materials DNA and RNA
leading to mutation.

3. May lead to mineral growth, flowering and

photosynthesis in plants.
4. May cause green house effect and changing the
global climate.
Control measures of ozone layer depletion:
1. Avoid the use of dangerous gases like CFCs,
halogenated hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides
etc.
2. Suitable procedure should be adopted to
recapture to CFCs released from the air
conditioner and refrigerator servicing units.
3. Rocket lunching and nuclear tests should be
regulated.

4. The use of plastic foam has to be

boycotted.