Syrgasen

Syrgasen, or dioxygen (O2), is a diatomic molecule that makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere. It is a colorless, odorless gas with a boiling point of −183 °C and a melting point of −218 °C. Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe by mass and accounts for about 46% of the Earth’s crust by weight, most of it bound in minerals. The O2 molecule is paramagnetic due to two unpaired electrons in the antibonding orbitals.

Biologically, oxygen is essential for aerobic respiration and is produced by photosynthesis in plants, algae, and many bacteria. It has isotopes O-16, O-17, and O-18. In the atmosphere, oxygen exists mainly as O2; ozone (O3) is a different allotrope.

Syrgasen was independently discovered in the 1770s by Scheele and Priestley; Priestley published in 1774 calling the gas “dephlogisticated air.” Antoine Lavoisier later named it oxygen and described its role in combustion and respiration, helping establish modern chemistry.

Industrial production and uses: Oxygen is obtained commercially by fractional distillation of liquid air or by electrolysis of water. It is used in steelmaking, chemical synthesis, welding and cutting (oxy-fuel), medicine (oxygen therapy), and laboratory research, and it plays a central role in the oxygen cycle and various oxidation processes.

Safety: Oxygen supports combustion; higher oxygen levels raise fire risk. High partial pressures can cause oxygen toxicity. It must be stored in dedicated cylinders and handled with care to avoid contamination by oils or greases on equipment.