O2molecuul

O2molecuul is a nonstandard spelling that is sometimes used to refer to the diatomic oxygen molecule, O2. In scientific contexts, the term O2 is used to denote this molecule.

O2 is the diatomic molecule formed by two identical oxygen atoms bonded together. It has a molar mass of 32.00 g/mol. The molecule is paramagnetic due to two unpaired electrons located in antibonding π* orbitals, giving it a triplet ground state written as X3Sigma_g-. The bond order is approximately 2, and the typical bond length is about 121 picometers. The bond dissociation energy is around 498 kJ/mol.

At room temperature, O2 is a colorless, odorless gas and makes up about 21 percent of Earth's atmosphere. Liquid oxygen is blue and paramagnetic. O2 is essential to most aerobic organisms because it serves as the final electron acceptor in cellular respiration. It is also crucial for combustion processes.

Industrially, O2 is produced mainly by fractional distillation of liquefied air and is widely used in steelmaking, chemical synthesis, medical applications, and rocket propulsion. In nature, it is continually replenished by photosynthesis and is consumed by respiration and oxidation reactions in ecosystems.

Safety and handling emphasize that oxygen itself does not burn, but it greatly accelerates combustion of other materials. Elevated oxygen concentrations can increase fire hazards, and proper ventilation and storage are important in environments with enriched O2. The term O2molecuul is not commonly used in formal literature, where O2 is the standard designation.

See also: ozone (O3), atomic oxygen (O), oxygen cycle.