that it can combine violently with other elements?
Is there any other element with this quality?
2007-06-23 05:17:55 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It has two available electrons and two available orbitals for bonding. Imagine how popular you'd be if you had the same?
2007-06-23 05:20:39 · answer #1 · answered by Steve C 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are other elements that can be very unstable under certain circumstances (such as hydrogen and helium). However, oxygen has some unique characteristics; it is the only element that can produce a great deal of energy in living systems (when combined with sugar). So an atmosphere with oxygen was required for the evolution of multi-cellular animal life on our planet. If not for the evolution of green algae, which filled out Atmosphere with O2, nothing really interesting would have happened on the planet Earth.
2007-06-23 05:32:05 · answer #2 · answered by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like steves Cs answer haha hes basically right just missed out something.
lets take dioxygen O2
Each oxygen has 8 electrons in total and 6 of these are valence electrons (outer shell electrons) or the electrons responsible for its reactivity. In dioxygen two of these are taken up from each oxygen in the double bond.
so we have 4 electrons on each oxygen atom left over or 2 electron pairs.
",,O = O,," The dots are electrons! and four electrons are used up in the double bond in total - two from each O atom.
Not only this factor but Oxygen is very electronegative it loves to sap electron density away from other atoms and molecules etc. This combined with its valence electrons means its readily attracted to other atoms, so the double bond breaks and is very flirty with electronegativity too! So hence loads of oxides, loads and loads!
The only other elements with the most similar reactivity would be nitrogen and sulphur but definitely not from dinitrogen as this triple bond is the strongest bond in chemistry.
Hope this helps!
Don :-)
2007-06-24 11:44:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most elements will react violently to a certain other element. Some are more reactive than others. Sodium will explode in water!
2007-06-23 05:21:36 · answer #4 · answered by bruvvamoff 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think oxygen being the most valuable element in the planet is needed by human population to breathe while carbon dioxide as our waste product are essentials for the plants to make photosynthesis.
2007-06-24 15:51:13 · answer #5 · answered by shines56 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen often acts quietly to form oxides with metals, e.g. rusting of iron.
Elements which react violently are alkali metals with halogens.
2007-06-23 05:43:51 · answer #6 · answered by jeanne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen in highly concentrated sources can promote rapid combustion in the presence of fuels.
Oxygen is not in itself a fuel, but as a reactant, concentrated oxygen may allow combustion to proceed extremely rapidly.
Oxygen in highly concentrated sources can promote rapid combustion in the presence of fuels.
Oxygen can be bonded with other elements but this does not always make it combustable, as in H2O (or water)
Two atoms of hydrogen to one of oxygen!!!
2007-06-23 05:58:31 · answer #7 · answered by bridget b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chlorine
2007-06-23 05:29:27 · answer #8 · answered by lordkelvin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oxigen combines violently because it is required for burning , the violent combination is actually a effect of the outburst of heat consumming the mass of oxigen, there are alot of catalysts that increase the violence of combination but oxigen is required in all of them
2007-06-23 05:21:30 · answer #9 · answered by WraitH 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
try nitrogen - dont combine it with certain chemicals
also at school we were show how mercury reacts with water - it explodes
2007-06-23 11:40:12 · answer #10 · answered by rafena 1979 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋