Oxygen is a versatile and essential element that is used in many different applications. Some of the most notable uses of oxygen include:
Respiration: Oxygen is necessary for the process of respiration, which allows organisms to convert food into energy. It is used by cells to produce energy through the process of cellular respiration.
Combustion: Oxygen is used as an oxidizer in combustion reactions. It is used to burn fuels, such as coal, natural gas, and gasoline, to generate heat and power in power plants and industrial processes.
Medical treatment: Oxygen is used as a therapeutic gas in the treatment of medical conditions such as hypoxemia (low blood oxygen) and carbon monoxide poisoning. It is also used to help people who have difficulty breathing, such as those with emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Industrial processes: Oxygen is used in many industrial processes, such as steelmaking, water treatment, and rocket propellant production. It is also used to produce other chemicals, such as nitric acid and formaldehyde.
Welding and cutting: Oxygen is used as an oxidizer in the process of welding and cutting of metals. It is used to increase the temperature of the flame, to make it hotter and more intense.
NASA Spacecraft: Oxygen is used as a propellant in the rocketry and as a breathing gas by the astronaut. Oxygen is also used in life support systems of spacecraft to provide a breathable atmosphere.
Oxygen is also used in the production of semiconductor devices, cleaning of electronic devices and the production of foam rubber and plastic.
In laboratories, oxygen is used as a reagent for many chemical reactions and in the production of ozone.