Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gaseous chemical element which appears in great abundance on Earth, trapped by the atmosphere. Many people are familiar with oxygen, because it is a vital component of the respiration process; without oxygen, most organisms will die within minutes. A number of forms of oxygen and oxygen compounds can be found in nature. Oxygen can also be isolated and sold in pure form for an assortment of uses, and was first isolated and identified in 1774.
The atomic number of oxygen is eight, and it is identified by an O symbol on the periodic table of elements. In addition to being very widely distributed on Earth, oxygen is also the third most abundant element in the universe, and it is a key catalyst in many chemical reactions. Oxidation is one such reaction, and it occurs when oxygen mixes with other elements and compounds. Oxygen also plays a role in combustion.
There are several ways to extract pure oxygen. Water can be ionized, forcing the oxygen and hydrogen atoms to separate. More commonly, however, samples of air are cooled into a liquid form and then slowly heated. As the air heats, elements precipitate out in a process called fractional distillation, because different gaseous elements convert to a gas form at different temperatures. Once extracted, the oxygen can be bottled for use.
In medicine, oxygen has a number of uses. It is sometimes offered therapeutically, to patients who are having difficulty breathing. It is also used in anesthesia mixtures, ensuring that the patient gets a consistent supply of oxygen while unconscious. The element also plays a role in welding and industry, being combined with substances like acetylene, for example, to make welding torches.
Although pure oxygen is used medicinally and recreationally, as it brings about a state of mild euphoria, it is potentially dangerous. In high pressure environments, oxygen toxicity can damage the lungs, often quite severely. Depending on the pressure, symptoms may emerge right away, or they may take several hours to manifest, at which point it can be too late. Oxygen also represents a serious combustion hazard, and some oxygen compounds such as ozone and hydrogen peroxide are extremely toxic. These compounds can damage cells and DNA if they are left unchecked. Living organisms should consume a diet high in antioxidants to help avert one form of this damage, caused by free radicals in the body.
Being the first member of group 16 of the periodic table, oxygen is chemically active, forming compounds with nearly all of elements except the inert gases. It is denser than air and can be dissolved in water up to certain extend. Although it is a poor conductor of heat and electricity, oxygen supports combustion but does not burn itself in the reaction. The natural oxygen in the atmosphere, called diatomic gas O2 has a molecular weight 31.9988 while ozone O3, which is more reactive than natural oxygen, is another allotrope of oxygen formed due to electrical discharges or ultraviolet light reacting with the atmospheric oxygen.
It is paramagnetic in all its three forms i.e. solid, liquid and gaseous. Oxygen combines directly with various elements to form oxides and forms an important constituent of many acids, hydroxides and various other compounds. When cooled below its boiling point, oxygen turns in to a pale blue liquid and when cooled even more, the liquid solidifies, while retaining its color. More on facts about oxygen.
Heightens concentration, alertness and memory.
Oxygen gives you energy! 90% of our energy comes from oxygen, and only 10% from food and water.
Oxygen is vital to your immune system, memory, thinking and sight.
Promotes healing and counters aging.
Strengthens your heart, reducing the risk of heart attacks.
Calms your mind and stabilizes your nervous system.
Speeds up the body's recovery after physical exertion.
Provides a natural remedy for headaches, migraines and hangovers.
Relieves temporary altitude discomfort.
Improves digestion and cell metabolism.
Relives muscle stiffness, supports pre-athletic performance.
Lessens Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and gives you better sleep patterns.
The uses of oxygen in everyday life can be classified into four major categories: metallurgy, rocketry, chemical synthesis, and medicin. Following are some common oxygen uses related to these categories.
All living organisms including animals and plants use oxygen present in the air for respiration, also termed as aerobic respiration. It is a process in which food is burned in living cells in presence of oxygen to release energy for all metabolic activities. Besides this lifesaving process, medical oxygen uses in the body involve supply of oxygen packed in cylinders to aid people finding difficulty in breathing due to inadequate amount of oxygen, for example patients in hospitals, mountaineers at high latitudes, under water divers, astronauts walking in space, etc. An oxygen bar is a place that sells oxygen. People go to these bars to help with immunity, energy, mental clarity and cleansing the body of toxins.
Atmospheric oxygen O2 is used for combustion of produce energy in automobiles, airplanes, ships, generators, industrial process, etc. Liquid oxygen uses include burning of fuel in spacecrafts for generating the required thrust in space where there is neither air nor oxygen.
Oxygen uses in industry mainly involves melting, welding and cutting of metals. In oxy-acetylene and oxy-hydrogen blow torches, oxygen is used for producing very high temperatures somewhere around 3000º C and 2800º C respectively, to melt metals. During welding, the two metal pieces are brought close to each other, and the high temperature flame is applied at the junction to melt the metals. When the flame is removed, the metal pieces combine and later solidify to join together. While cutting a metal in to two parts, the flame is applied to one part until it turns red hot. Then the concentration or amount of oxygen is increased which oxidizes the red hot part of the metal, and the oxide being very brittle or soft, can be broken apart by hitting it with a hammer.
Other oxygen uses involve production of iron and steel in blast furnaces using hot oxygen air. Even in mines, it is employed as a part of explosives for blasting rocks.
In various chemical industries, oxygen is used in the manufacture of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and other compounds and acids. Oxygen in its most reactive form, i.e. ozone O3 is used in different chemical reactions to improve the rate of reaction and to ensure the fullest possible oxidation of undesired compounds.
Hence, whether it is steel making, metal refining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum processing, glass and ceramic manufacturing, pulp and paper manufacturing or health care, oxygen uses are numerous. Apart from these, oxygen is also used for environmental protection in municipal and industrial effluent treatment plants and facilities.
Less than 200 years ago the Earth's atmosphere comprised of 40% oxygen; today we breathe only 19% - 21%.
Lack of oxygen in our universe is due to pollution, burning of fossil fuels and overall destruction of the ozone layer.
Everyday we breathe 20,000 times.
Research has demonstrated that our vital lung capacity decreases 5% with every decade of life. This lung elasticity means less oxygen.
Blood is the liquid carrier of oxygen that fuels all systems, stimulates chemical reactions and cleans itself of wastes and toxins.
By mass, oxygen makes up 90% of the water molecule; water makes up 65-75% of the human body.
Our brain, which makes up 2% of our total mass, requires 20% of the body's oxygen needs.
Air and oxygen are sometimes used interchangeably, but the two things are actually different. Oxygen is a pure element, while the air we breathe is a mixture of elements. Although oxygen is necessary for survival, repeated exposure to pure oxygen could be harmful. The air which makes up our atmosphere has a healthy balance of elements to sustain human life.
Oxygen is a pure gaseous element. Prolonged exposure to pure oxygen can actually cause brain damage, although the element is sometimes used therapeutically. Most animals require a certain concentration of oxygen in their blood in order to thrive, and for this reason oxygen is used in emergency situations in which access to air is restricted. When used therapeutically, oxygen is usually mixed with other elements. It is rare for a patient to be given pure oxygen.
Oxygen is number eight on the periodic table, which means that it has eight electrons and eight protons. Only a handful of elements, including helium and hydrogen, are lighter than oxygen. Oxygen has a cubic structure and is a totally colorless element.
The air we breathe is a mixture that contains primarily oxygen and nitrogen. The nitrogen generally makes up approximately 78% of the air, while oxygen makes up 21%. Other gases including carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, argon, and neon make up the remainder. These gases dissolve and are carried in the blood.
Anyone who has experienced radical pressure changes is familiar with the effects of dissolved nitrogen in the blood. While nitrogen is normally carried in the blood without any ill effects, extreme depressurization can cause the nitrogen to form gaseous bubbles in the blood. This causes extreme pain and can lead to death, in a condition known to divers as the bends.
The term air is also used to refer to the Earth's atmosphere as a whole, which makes life on Earth possible. Air forms the lower part of the atmosphere, and becomes thinner the further the observer is away from sea level. Thin air refers to air which is less dense than that at sea level. On Earth, people at high elevations experience thin air, which can cause shortness of breath and nausea. Thin air has less oxygen, which means that the body must work harder and breathe more quickly to extract the necessary amount of oxygen from the air.
Most creatures tend to take air for granted, because it is an abundant substance. However, increasing pollution has led to a decline in air quality, which has resulted in health problems for some animals. Air which is heavily contaminated with particles in high concentrations can damage lung tissue. Bad air quality can sometimes be physically seen in the form of smog, a heavy collection of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere.
Oxygen therapy is provided to people who suffer from the problem called hypoxemia where the body does not receive enough blood from the lungs. This condition causes the person to experience shortness of breath and with the help of oxygen therapy, the supply of oxygen in the body is increased, thus helping the person to breathe properly. Other illnesses that are treated with the help of oxygen therapy includes decompression sickness, radiation injury, thermal burns, exceptional blood loss, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc. Even people suffering from diseases, like, cerebral palsy, stroke, autism, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, etc., are recommended to undergo this therapy. Other than hospitals, oxygen therapy is also provided in certain spas because it is an effective tool to increase immunity and promote overall health of the person. Though this therapy is considered to be safe, there are still certain oxygen therapy side effects which may range from mild to severe. However, before we move into its side effects, let us try to know more about oxygen therapy.
The traditional form of oxygen therapy is where the patient receives oxygen through compressed oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen tanks or oxygen concentrators which are connected to an oxygen mask or plastic tubes. These apparatuses are usually used in hospitals and also by people who are recommended home oxygen therapy. Another method of oxygen therapy which is comparatively new is known as the hyperbaric oxygen therapy where the individual is placed in a pressurized chamber which contains almost 100% oxygen. This helps the body to absorb more oxygen than it does during normal conditions, thus activating the blood vessels and body cells. The dosage of oxygen that a person requires is determined by the doctor, according to his/her health condition. The dosage of oxygen that has to be given to an individual is determined based on the amount of oxygen required, the time required for the treatment and also the frequency in which the therapy has to be administered.
Health professionals are of the opinion that oxygen therapy is a very safe treatment method, however, there have been reports of side effects from several patients. Most of the time, these side effects are very minor and do not last for a long time. Nevertheless, there have been cases (though very rare) where oxygen therapy has led to severe side effects.
One of the common causes of oxygen therapy side effects is due to the equipment used for oxygen supply. Many times, due to improper handling of the equipment, the oxygen supply gets contaminated which can cause several health problems and possible death too. Also, if the filters are not cleaned or if the breathing tubes are not changed regularly, this can cause patients to inhale oxygen that is polluted by air-borne particles.
People who have undergone hyperbaric oxygen therapy have complained about feeling the tiredness and nausea after the treatment session. They may also experience temporary vision problems and sometimes slight difficulty in breathing after undergoing this therapy. Severe pain in the ear and sinus problem are also known to occur due to increased pressure in the oxygen chamber. However, these side effects are not permanent and do not stay for a long time.
One of the serious hyperbaric oxygen therapy side effects is caused due to oxygen toxicity which can cause pulmonary and central nervous system disorders as well as seizures. Some people have also reported to have experienced a feeling of claustrophobia in the oxygen chamber.
Home oxygen therapy side effects can be caused when the individual tries to alter the flow of oxygen by himself. This has to be avoided completely and if you think that the oxygen supply that you are getting is not adequate, your health professional should be contacted who in turn will inform the home care supplier to change the oxygen flow rate.
Another cautionary measure for people using home oxygen therapy is to keep the oxygen equipment at a distance not only from heat sources including gas stove, candle flame, etc., but also from hair sprays, aerosol cans, etc., as these are inflammable.
It is a risky affair to administer high levels of oxygen to newborns as it may cause blindness. This happens due to the overgrowth of new blood vessels in the eye obstructing sight. This is called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Apart from this, severe oxygen therapy side effects can be experienced by people who have health problems, like asthma, upper respiratory tract infection, middle ear surgery, etc., and hence they should stay away from this treatment method. Even pregnant women should not be given this therapy as this can cause harm to the mother as well as to the fetus. Other than this, the condition of people who have high fever or some kind of viral fever may worsen due to oxygen therapy.
These oxygen therapy side effects are very rare and most likely do not cause any permanent damage. However, being aware of the possible side effects will help individuals in preventing or controlling the causes that trigger them. One has to be very careful while handling this highly combustible oxidant, as concentrated oxygen catches fire very easily and this can lead to fatal accidents.