GENERAL PROPERTIES OF OXYGEN, ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION AND BONDING CAPACITY OF OXYGEN

SECOND TERM E-LEARNING NOTES

SUBJECT: CHEMISTRY

CLASS: SS 2

SCHEME OF WORK

WEEK 3

TOPIC: OXYGEN

CONTENTS:

1. GENERAL PROPERTIES OF OXYGEN, ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION AND BONDING CAPACITY OF OXYGEN
2. LABORATORY AND INDUSTRIAL PREPARATION OF OXYGEN
3. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF OXYGEN.
4. COMPOUNDS OF OXYGEN AND USES OF OXYGEN

PERIOD 1: GENERAL PROPERTIES OF OXYGEN

Oxygen is the most abundant element on earth. It is prepared in the laboratory by catalytic decomposition of Potassium trioxochlorate(V) or hydrogen peroxide. Industrially, it is prepared by the liquefaction of air followed by fractional distillation of liquefied air.

Oxygen, being strongly electronegative, is chemically very reactive. It reacts with most metals to form basic oxides which are ionic, they also reacts with most non- metals to form acidic oxides which are covalent molecules and they reacts with hydrocarbons, fuels[to form CO₂ and H₂O. It rekindles a glowing splint to indicate its presence in any place.

The oxides of oxygen can be classified into basic, acidic, amphoteric and neutral oxides. Peroxide is prepared by the action of a dilute acid on the peroxides of certain metals. It is a strong oxidizing agent. However, in the presence of more powerful oxidizing agents, ozone, O₃, is an unstable allotrope of oxygen. The ozone layer in the atmosphere acts as a protective shield by preventing too much ultra-violet radiation from falling on earth and harming living organism.

Electronic Structure and Bonding Capacity Of Oxygen

Oxygen is an element in group (VIA) of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 8, and has an electronic configuration of 1_S² 2_S² 2_P⁴ ————-Electronic structure

Thus, oxygen forms a complete octet by either accepting two electrons from a donor to form O^2-in an ionic substance, or by sharing two electrons with other atoms to form a covalent substance. At room temperature and pressure, oxygen exists as a discrete gaseous diatomic molecule, O₂ the two toms are joined together by double covalent bond, O=O.

EVALUATION

1. What is the name of the most abundant element on earth?
2. Enumerate the main classes of oxides of oxygen
3. Oxygen belongs to which group in periodic table.
4. What is the atomic number of oxygen?
5. Write electronic structure of oxygen.