How was oxygen found?

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How was oxygen found?

2007-12-22 10:50:02 · 1 answers · asked by jones 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry

1 answers

Oxygen was discovered and made independently by Joseph Priestly of the U.S. and Carl Wilhelm Scheele of Sweden in the1700's. Priestly focused sunlight with a magnifying glass on a sample of mercuric oxide, which decomposed to oxygen and mercury. Scheele heated potassium nitrate, which decomposed also.

2HgO ===> 2Hg + O2

2KNO3 ===> 2KNO2 + O2

2007-12-22 11:26:06 · answer #1 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋