Element 8

Oxygen (O)

Reactive nonmetal · Period 2 · Group 16 · p-block

Oxygen (O) is element 8 of the periodic table, a reactive nonmetal in period 2, group 16 (p-block) with an atomic mass of 15.999 and is a gas at standard conditions.

At a glance

Atomic number
8
Symbol
O
Atomic mass
15.999 u
Category
Reactive nonmetals
Period
2
Group
16
Block
p-block
Phase at STP
gas

Electron structure

Electron configuration
1s2 2s2 2p4
Shorthand configuration
[He] 2s2 2p4
Electrons per shell
2, 6
Oxidation states
-2, -1, +1, +2

Physical properties

Melting point
54.36 K
Boiling point
90.2 K
Density
0.001429 g/cm3
Phase
gas

Atomic properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)
3.44
Atomic radius
48 pm
Covalent radius
66 pm
Van der Waals radius
152 pm
First ionization energy
1314 kJ/mol
Electron affinity
141 kJ/mol

Notable isotopes

IsotopeMassAbundanceStability
O-1615.9949199.76%Stable

Common uses

  • Respiration
  • Steel manufacturing
  • Medical therapy
  • Water treatment

Discovery

Year
1774
Discovered by
Joseph Priestley, Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Country
England/Sweden

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