Abcs Of Oxygen For Energy

By Lucia Weeks


In order to produce smaller amounts of oxygen, O2 from the air by adsorption of other gases can be separated. These air flows through molecular sieves. In this case, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are adsorbed and only O2 and argon pass through. This is used in O2 concentrator mainly used medically (oxygen for energy).

The development of O2 concentration in atmosphere is described in article Development of earth's atmosphere. The O2 allotrope O3 Ozone is present in atmosphere at low concentrations. In space, O2 is the third most abundant element after hydrogen and helium. The mass fraction of O2 is in solar system about 0.8% (this corresponds to an (atomic) number fraction of about 500 ppm).

Some oxygen-rich inorganic compounds such as potassium permanganate, potassium nitrate (saltpeter), potassium chlorate and potassium chromate enter upon heating or reaction with reducing agents from oxygen. A further possibility of producing O2 in laboratory, is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide on platinum-plated nickel foil. Pure O2 can be obtained by electrolysis of 30% potassium hydroxide solution of nickel electrodes. It Hydrogen and O2 are separated.

O2 is slightly soluble in water. The solubility depends on the pressure and the temperature. It increases with decreasing temperature and increasing pressure. At 0 degrees C and an O2 partial pressure of air of 212 hPa dissolve in pure water 14.16 mg / l oxygen. In oxygen-gas discharge Spectrum, the molecular orbitals of O2 are stimulated to emit light. The operating conditions are a pressure of 5-10 mbar, a high voltage of 1.8 kV, a current of 18 mA and a frequency of 35 kHz. During the recombination of ionized gas molecules, the characteristic color spectrum is emitted. In this case, a small part, caused reversibly formed by the supply of energy ozone.

With the discovery of O2 its meaning was not clear during combustion. The Frenchman Antoine Lavoisier found in his experiments that during combustion does not escape phlogiston, but O2 is bound. By weighing it demonstrated that a substance after combustion was not easier but harder. This was caused by the additional weight of ingested during the combustion process oxygen.

Since these orbitals are completely filled with electrons, they do not contribute to binding. From the 2p orbitals are a total of six molecular orbitals with different energy level. The orbitals have this same energy. Electrons are distributed in molecular orbitals, it comes to following breakdown of eight p-electrons. These two valence electrons determine the properties of O2 molecule. O2 has allowed a total of three and energetically accessible quantum states for the distribution of these electrons.

Occupation of energy levels of molecular orbitals of O2 in ground and excited states. In ground state the spins of two valence electrons of Hund's rule are arranged in parallel in obedience. It is a triplet state with the term symbol 3g. It is the state with the lowest energy. Through the two unpaired electrons, the two orbitals are half occupied. This caused some characteristic properties, such as the diradical character and the paramagnetism of O2 molecule.

The separation takes place initially at 5-6 bar in so-called medium pressure column. The resulting oxygen-enriched liquid is then (pressure about 0.5 bar) further separated in low pressure column. Through the liquid O2 of low pressure column, gaseous nitrogen of high pressure column is passed. It liquefies this and heated with the votes condensation heat the liquid. The more volatile nitrogen is discharged and preferably remains purified liquid oxygen. This still contains the noble gases krypton and xenon, which are separated in a separate column.




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