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Cha 10new
Cha 10new
CHAPTER 10
OXYGEN AND ITS COMPOUNDS
10.1 Occurrence
Uncombined oxygen exists in the air, forming 23% by weight (or 21 % by volume) of the
air. Oxygen in the combined state exists in water, sand or silica, silicates, and rocks.
substance is used in a reaction for this purpose, it is said to catalyse the reaction.
The substance itself is called a catalyst, and the process is called catalysis.
Industrial preparation
The best process for obtaining oxygen industrially is from liquid air.
Air is first cooled by a allowing compressed air to expand through a valve. This
cool air is recycled and is again recompressed and expanded through the valve. This
results in further cooling. When these successive coolings are finally sufficient (i.e.,
temperature is reduced lower than - 196°C), the air is liquefied. This liquefied air is then
fed into the fractionating column. The lower boiling nitrogen (b.p. - 196°C) will come out
from the top of the fractionating column and the higher boiling oxygen (b.p,- 183°C) will
come out from the bottom of the column.
By studying the action of air, water and acids on the metals and the ease by which
the metal oxides may be reduced to metal, we may arrange the metals in a series known as
the Activity Series. A summarized form of the activity series outlining some trends in the
reactivity of the metals is given in Appendix 5. It may be seen that with few exceptions
there are very definite trends as the series is descended. Reference will be made to this
series in the appropriate sections and the reasons for the trends will be discussed.
Example :
A burning piece of magnesium ribbon continues burning in oxygen with a dazzling white
flame, leaving a white powder as residue. This residue is magnesium oxide.
magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide
2Mg + O2 2MgO
A red hot iron wire burns in oxygen with a yellowish flame giving off showers of golden
sparks.
iron + oxygen tri iron tetroxide
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3 Fe + 2O2 Fe3O4
A heated piece of sodium metal burns in oxygen with a yellowish flame to form a
solid which dissolves in water. The solution obtained turns red litmus blue.
sodium + oxygen sodium oxide
4Na + O2 2Na2O
These oxides dissolve in water to give solutions which turn blue litmus red.
Water + phosphorus (V)oxide phosphoric acid
6H2O + P4O10 4H3PO4
Burning sulphur continues to burn in oxygen to form misty, pungent fumes which are
sulphur dioxide.
sulphur + oxygen sulphur dioxide
S + O2 SO2
This gas dissolves in water to give sulphurous acid. The acid solution turns blue litmus
red.
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When a burning piece of charcoal is put into a gas jar of oxygen, it burn and emits a
shower of sparks to form a colourless gas, carbon dioxide.
carbon + oxygen carbon dioxide
C + O2 CO2
Carbon dioxide gas dissolves in water to form carbonic acid. This is a very weak acid and
turns blue litmus pink but not red.
water + carbon dioxide carbonic acid
H2O + CO2 H2CO3
10.6 Ozone O3
Oxygen and ozone are allotropes (section 15.2) of the same element. The difference
between them is that oxygen is a diatomic molecule (O2) and ozone is a triatomic
molecule (O3).
Preparation of ozone
Ozone is prepared by the passage of a silent electric discharge through oxygen.
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The apparatus is set up as shown in Fig. 10.4. Dry oxygen is passed through the
space between the two glass tubes. Each tube is coated with tin foil which serves as
electrodes and is connected to the terminals of an induction coil. The silent electrical
discharge passing through the oxygen from one electrode to the other causes partial
conversion of the oxygen to ozone. This ozonized oxygen should not be allowed to come
into contact with rubber, which is attacked by ozone.
Properties of ozone
1. Ozone gas has a fishy smell.
2. It oxidizes;
(a) lead, (II) sulphide to lead (II) sulphate.
lead(II) sulphide + ozone lead (II) sulphate + Oxygen
(black) (white)
PbS + 4O3 PbSO4 + 4O2
(b) hydrogen sulphide to sulphuric acid.
hydrogen sulphide + ozone sulphuric acid + oxygen
H2S + 4O3 H2SO4 + 4O2
3. It also liberates iodine from potassium iodide in acidic solution.
potassium + sulphuric + ozone iodine + oxygen
iodide acid (brown)
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(colourless)
2KI + H2SO4 + O3 I2 + O2
+ potassium + water
sulphate
+ + H2 O
K2SO4
Uses of ozone
Ozone is used in ventilation systems to purify air. It is also used to sterilize water.
SUMMARY
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Uncombined oxygen exists in air, forming 21% by volume of the air. Oxygen in
the combined state exists in water, sand or silica, silicates, and rocks.
Oxygen can be prepared in laboratory from hydrogen peroxide or potassium
chlorate by heating. The best process for obtaining oxygen industrially is from liquid air.
Oxygen is a colorless gas without taste or smell and only slightly soluble It has some
relative vapor density as air .It supports burning .So many metals burn in oxygen, forming
oxides.
Oxygen is used as an aid to breathing and also in the manufacture of linoleum,
varnishes, steel, etc. The oxygen acetylene flame is used for cutting and welding steel.
Oxygen and ozone are allotropes of the same element .Ozone is used as in
ventilation systems to purify air .It is also used to sterilize water.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are widely used as coolants in refrigerators and car air
conditioners, as solvents for cleaning computer and circuit boards and in foam packing
and insulation. The ozone layer filters out most of the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.
Since one fluorocarbon molecule in the stratosphere and since negotiation protocol,
scientist found that the ozone in the atmosphere is being depleted more rapidly than had
been thought. Instead of CFCs, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) have been developed
to reduce the ozone depletion.Hydrogen combines with oxygen to form two different
hydrides, hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 and water, H2O. Hydrogen peroxide is used
commercially for the bleaching of paper pulp, cotton and other natural fibers.