oxygen

/'ɔksidʤən/

Thân thiện

A scuba diver breathes oxygen from a tank.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A chemical element: Oxygen is a nonmetallic, bivalent element. It is normally found as a colorless, odorless, tasteless, nonflammable diatomic gas (O₂). It constitutes about 21 percent of the Earth's atmosphere by volume and is the most abundant element in the Earth's crust.

Usage

• Oxygen is essential for the respiration of most living organisms.
• It is a key component in combustion (burning) processes.
• In medical contexts, supplemental oxygen is administered to patients with breathing difficulties.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis.
  • The diver checked her oxygen tank before descending.
  • Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

Advanced Usage

• "Singlet oxygen": A high-energy, reactive form of oxygen.
  • Singlet oxygen is involved in some photochemical reactions.
• "Dissolved oxygen": The amount of oxygen present in water, crucial for aquatic life.
  • The health of the river is measured by its level of dissolved oxygen.

Variants and Related Words

• Oxygenate (verb): To supply, treat, or mix with oxygen.
  • The machine oxygenates the blood.
• Oxygenation (noun): The process of supplying or combining with oxygen.
  • Proper oxygenation of the pond is vital for the fish.
• Oxy- (prefix): A prefix meaning "containing oxygen" or "sharp" (as in acid), used in chemical names.
  • Oxyacetylene (a mixture of oxygen and acetylene used in welding).

Synonyms

• O₂: The molecular formula for the common form of oxygen gas.
• Element 8: Refers to its atomic number on the periodic table.

Related Phrases

• "Oxygen mask": A device that provides oxygen to a person, often used in aircraft or hospitals.
  • In case of cabin depressurization, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling.
• "Oxygen debt": The extra oxygen required by the body after strenuous exercise to metabolize lactic acid.
  • He was breathing heavily to repay the oxygen debt after the sprint.

Related Idioms

• "To be on oxygen": To require medical oxygen therapy to breathe.
  • After his severe pneumonia, he was on oxygen for several weeks at home.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

Từ đồng nghĩa

• O
• atomic number 8