Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
oxygen
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images, Videos & Interactives
A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for oxygen, showing its atomic number 8, symbol O, electron configuration, atomic weight range, orthorhombic crystal structure, and its classification as a nonmetal gas at room temperature.
A swimmer wearing goggles and a swim cap turns their head to breathe while swimming in open water, emphasizing the act of breathing during exercise.
Explore an interactive periodic table of the elements explosion limits A scientific graph shows the estimated abundance of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere over time on a logarithmic scale, with key evolutionary and geological events such as the first appearance of oxygenic photosynthesis, the rise of land plants, and the emergence of animals labeled along the curve. Diagram illustrating the oxygen cycle, showing how atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide move between the atmosphere, plants, animals, water, and soil through processes like photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, and precipitation. Blue arrows represent the water cycle, while red and black arrows trace oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanges in the environment. Diagram illustrating ozone chemistry in pure oxygen, showing the cyclical reactions between molecular oxygen (O2), atomic oxygen (O), and ozone (O3), with arrows indicating conversion steps and the role of light energy. Diagram showing the formation of a polar covalent bond in a water molecule, with two hydrogen atoms bonding to one oxygen atom to form H2O, illustrating shared electrons and chemical reaction. A vertical temperature scale shows the cryogenic region, highlighted from absolute zero up to about 90 kelvin, with key points where gases like oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium liquefy, alongside temperature conversions between kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Rankine. Figure 1: Schematic diagram of a zirconia oxygen sensor used to monitor automobile exhaust gases. The sensor, approximately the size of a spark plug, is fitted into the exhaust manifold of an automobile engine. The thimble-shaped zirconia sensor, sandwiched between thin layers of porous platinum, is exposed on its interior to outside air and on its exterior to exhaust gas passing through slits in the sensor shield. The two platinum surfaces serve as electrodes, conducting a voltage across the zirconia that varies according to the difference in oxygen content between the exhaust gas and the outside air.
At a Glance
default image
oxygen summary
Quizzes
Concept artwork on the periodic table of elements.
118 Names and Symbols of the Periodic Table Quiz
Periodic Table of the elements concept image (chemistry)
Facts You Should Know: The Periodic Table Quiz
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
27 True-or-False Questions from Britannica’s Most Difficult Science Quizzes
Illustration of molecules. (molecular, chemistry, science)
So Much Chemistry, So Little Time Quiz
Related Questions

oxygen: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Oxygen—A Critical, but Overlooked, Nutrient. Sep 19, 2026
Add new Web site: Roger Williams University Open Publishing - Introduction to Oceanography - Dissolved Gases: Oxygen. Mar 30, 2026
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Frontiers in Nutrition - Oxygen—A Critical, but Overlooked, Nutrient. Feb 17, 2026
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Chemistry 2e - Occurrence, Preparation, and Compounds of Oxygen. Mar 27, 2025
Add new Web site: CAMEO Chemicals - Oxygen. Sep 17, 2024
Media added. Mar 21, 2024
Media added. Feb 23, 2024
Add new Web site: Science Learning Hub - Oxygen. Jan 03, 2024
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Oxygen—A Critical, but Overlooked, Nutrient. Jun 30, 2023
Add new Web site: Chemistry LibreTexts - Oxygen. Dec 03, 2022
Add new Web site: Live Science - Facts About Oxygen. Aug 26, 2022
Corrected display issue. Sep 28, 2018
Add new Web site: Cool Kid Facts - Oxygen Facts. Dec 09, 2016
Add new Web site: Easy Science for Kids - Oxygen Element Video for Kids. Dec 09, 2016
Add new Web site: WebElements - Oxygen. May 15, 2014
Add new Web site: Chemicool - Oxygen Element Facts. May 15, 2014
Add new Web site: Jefferson Lab - The Element Oxygen. Apr 04, 2014
Add new Web site: Quatr.us - What is Oxygen? Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Hyperphysics - Oxygen. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Rader's Chem4Kids! - Oxygen. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Oxygen. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - Oxygen. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Royal Society of Chemistry - Oxygen. Jan 24, 2013
Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids! - Oxygen. Mar 16, 2012
Article revised and updated. Apr 17, 2009
Added new Web site: General Chemistry - Oxygen. Mar 24, 2009
Added new Web site: University College Cork - Oxygen. Mar 24, 2009
Added new Web site: Webelements.com - Oxygen. Mar 24, 2009
Added new Web site: EnvironmentalChemistry.com - Oxygen. Mar 16, 2009
Added new Web site: Chemical Elements.com - Oxygen. Mar 16, 2009
Article revised and updated. Nov 15, 2008
Added new Web site: Los Alamos National Laboratory - Oxygen. May 07, 2008
Article revised and updated. Nov 08, 2007
Added new Web site: Lenntech - Oxygen (O).
  • Gaurav Shukla
 Jun 08, 2007
Article revised and updated. Apr 12, 2007
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By: