oxygen [Chemical formula, Physical, Chemical Properties and Reactions]

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: February 3, 2024

Chemical formula of oxygen is O2.

Physical Properties of Oxygen:

Properties Details
Boiling Point-182.96 °C
ColorColorless
Density1.429 g/L
Melting Point-218.79 °C
OdorOdorless
Physical StateGas at standard temperature and pressure (STP)
SolubilitySoluble in water, slightly soluble in organic solvents

Chemical Properties of Oxygen:

Properties Details
CombustibilitySupports combustion
Combustion ReactionOxygen combines with a fuel to produce heat and light
Oxidation States-2 (most common), +2, -1, +1, 0
Reaction with CarbonForms carbon dioxide
Reaction with HydrogenCombines with hydrogen to form water
Reaction with MetalsForms metal oxides
Reaction with Non-MetalsForms non-metal oxides
Reaction with SulfurForms sulfur dioxide
ReactivityHighly reactive element

Reaction of oxygen with Alkali Metal

Alkali MetalReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Lithium burning  reaction4Li + O2   react and changes into  2Li2OLithium oxide
Sodium burning  reaction4Na + O2   react and changes into  2Na2OSodium oxide
Potassium burning  reaction4K + O2   react and changes into  2K2OPotassium oxide
Rubidium burning  reaction2Rb + O2   react and changes into  2RbORubidium oxide
Caesium burning  reaction2Cs + O2   react and changes into  2CsOCaesium oxide
Francium burning  reaction2Fr + O2   react and changes into  2FrOFrancium oxide

Reaction of oxygen with Alkaline Earth Metal

Alkaline Earth MetalReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Beryllium burning  reaction2Be + O2   react and changes into  2BeOBeryllium oxide
Magnesium burning  reaction2Mg + O2   react and changes into  2MgOMagnesium oxide
Calcium burning  reaction2Ca + O2   react and changes into  2CaOCalcium oxide
Strontium burning  reaction2Sr + O2   react and changes into  2SrOStrontium oxide
Barium burning  reaction2Ba + O2   react and changes into  2BaOBarium oxide
Radium burning  reaction2Ra + O2   react and changes into  2RaORadium oxide

Reaction of oxygen with Transition Metal

Transition MetalReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Titanium burning  reaction2Ti + O2   react and changes into  2TiO2Titanium dioxide
Iron burning  reaction4Fe + 3O2   react and changes into  2Fe2O3Iron(III) oxide (rust)
Cobalt burning  reaction2Co + O2   react and changes into  2CoOCobalt oxide
Nickel burning  reaction2Ni + O2   react and changes into  2NiONickel oxide
Copper burning  reaction2Cu + O2   react and changes into  2CuOCopper(I) oxide
Zinc burning  reaction2Zn + O2   react and changes into  2ZnOZinc oxide
Silver burning  reaction2Ag + O2   react and changes into  2AgOSilver oxide
GoldNo ReactionN/AN/A

Reaction of oxygen with Non-Transition Metal

Non-Transition MetalReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Hydrogen burning  reaction2H2 + O2   react and changes into  2H2OWater
Carbon burning  reactionC + O2   react and changes into  CO2Carbon dioxide
NitrogenNo ReactionN2 + O2   react and changes into  N2 + O2N/A
OxygenSelf-Reaction2O2   react and changes into  2O3Ozone
Fluorine burning  reactionF2 + O2   react and changes into  2OF2Oxygen difluoride
Chlorine burning  reactionCl2 + O2   react and changes into  2ClO2Chlorine dioxide
Bromine burning  reactionBr2 + O2   react and changes into  2BrO2Bromine dioxide
Iodine burning  reactionI2 + 5O2   react and changes into  2IO5Iodine pentoxide

Reaction of oxygen with Non-Metal

Non-MetalReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Hydrogen burning  reaction2H2 + O2   react and changes into  2H2OWater
Carbon burning  reactionC + O2   react and changes into  CO2Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen burning  reactionN2 + O2   react and changes into  2NONitrogen oxide
OxygenSelf-Reaction2O2   react and changes into  2O3Ozone
Fluorine burning  reactionF2 + O2   react and changes into  2OF2Oxygen difluoride
Chlorine burning  reactionCl2 + O2   react and changes into  2ClO2Chlorine dioxide
Bromine burning  reactionBr2 + O2   react and changes into  2BrO2Bromine dioxide
Iodine burning  reactionI2 + 5O2   react and changes into  2IO5Iodine pentoxide
Sulfur burning  reactionS + O2   react and changes into  SO2Sulfur dioxide
Phosphorus burning  reactionP4 + 5O2   react and changes into  P4O10Phosphorus pentoxide

Reaction of oxygen with Noble Gas

Noble GasReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
HeliumNo ReactionN/AN/A
NeonNo ReactionN/AN/A
ArgonNo ReactionN/AN/A
KryptonNo ReactionN/AN/A
XenonNo ReactionN/AN/A
RadonNo ReactionN/AN/A

Reaction of oxygen with Lanthanide

LanthanideReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Cerium burning  reaction2Ce + O2   react and changes into  2CeO2Cerium oxide
Praseodymium burning  reaction4Pr + 3O2   react and changes into  2Pr2O3Praseodymium oxide
Neodymium burning  reaction4Nd + 3O2   react and changes into  2Nd2O3Neodymium oxide
PromethiumNo ReactionN/AN/A
Samarium burning  reaction4Sm + 3O2   react and changes into  2Sm2O3Samarium oxide
Europium burning  reaction4Eu + 3O2   react and changes into  2Eu2O3Europium oxide
Gadolinium burning  reaction2Gd + 3O2   react and changes into  2Gd2O3Gadolinium oxide
Terbium burning  reaction4Tb + 3O2   react and changes into  2Tb2O3Terbium oxide
Dysprosium burning  reaction4Dy + 3O2   react and changes into  2Dy2O3Dysprosium oxide
Holmium burning  reaction4Ho + 3O2   react and changes into  2Ho2O3Holmium oxide
Erbium burning  reaction4Er + 3O2   react and changes into  2Er2O3Erbium oxide
Thulium burning  reaction4Tm + 3O2   react and changes into  2Tm2O3Thulium oxide
Ytterbium burning  reaction2Yb + 3O2   react and changes into  2Yb2O3Ytterbium oxide
Lutetium burning  reaction4Lu + 3O2   react and changes into  2Lu2O3Lutetium oxide

Reaction of oxygen with Actinide

ActinideReaction with OxygenChemical EquationProducts
Actinium burning  reaction4Ac + 3O2   react and changes into  2Ac2O3Actinium oxide
Thorium burning  reaction4Th + 3O2   react and changes into  2Th2O3Thorium oxide
Protactinium burning  reaction2Pa + 3O2   react and changes into  2PaO3Protactinium oxide
Uranium burning  reaction2U + 3O2   react and changes into  2UO3Uranium trioxide
Neptunium burning  reaction2Np + 3O2   react and changes into  2NpO3Neptunium oxide
Plutonium burning  reaction2Pu + 3O2   react and changes into  2PuO3Plutonium oxide
Americium burning  reaction4Am + 3O2   react and changes into  2Am2O3Americium oxide
Curium burning  reaction4Cm + 3O2   react and changes into  2Cm2O3Curium oxide
Berkelium burning  reaction4Bk + 3O2   react and changes into  2Bk2O3Berkelium oxide
Californium burning  reaction4Cf + 3O2   react and changes into  2Cf2O3Californium oxide
EinsteiniumNo ReactionN/AN/A
FermiumNo ReactionN/AN/A
MendeleviumNo ReactionN/AN/A
NobeliumNo ReactionN/AN/A
LawrenciumNo ReactionN/AN/A