Oxygen;

Preparation of oxygen;

1. When red mercury (II)oxide is heated, it darkens first, oxygen is evolved and a silvery
deposit of mercury is formed.
2HgO 2Hg + O2
2. Heating potassium chlorate; ( heat and use MnO2 as a catalyst)
2KClO3 2KCl + 3O2
3. Reaction between sodium peroxide and water;

Na2O2 + H2O NaOH + O2

4. Lab preparation of oxygen; oxygen is prepared by the decomposition of H2O2 solution

using manganese (IV)oxide as a catalyst.
A catalyst is a substance which changes the speed of a chemical reaction but remains
chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.
2H2O2 2H2O + O2

Physical properties;
1. Oxygen gas is colourless and odourless.
2. Oxygen is only slightly soluble in water (at ordinary temperature 25cm3 of water dissolves
only 1cm3 of gas)
3. It has no action on litmus paper.(it is neutral to litmus)
4. Its density is slightly greater than that of air.

Test of oxygen; Introduce a glowing splint to the gas jar of oxygen gas.
Result; It relights glowing splint.

Chemical properties; When a

substance burns in air, it reacts with oxygen gas and is said to be oxidised.
1. Magnesium burns with a bright white flame to give a white, powdery ash of
Magnesium oxide. The product is basic.
2Mg (s) + O2 (g)  2MgO (s)
 MgO(s) + H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(aq)
2. Carbon burns with a yellow flame, to give colourless carbon dioxide. The
product is acidic.
C (s) + O2 (g)  CO2 (g)
CO2 (g) + H2O(l) H2CO3(aq)

3. Sulphur burns with a bright blue flame to give colourless sulphur dioxide, the
product is acidic. Remember, sulphur dioxide gas is poisonous, and forms acid
rain, so it's acidic.
S (s) + O2 (g)  SO2 (g)
SO2 (g)+ H2O(l) H2SO3(aq)

4. Calcium burns with a bright red flame and forms white calcium oxide, a solid.
This dissolves in water to form the alkali calcium hydroxide which turns red
litmus blue.
2Ca (s) + O2 (g)  2CaO (s)
CaO(s) + H2O(l) Ca(OH)2(aq)
Any metal forms basic oxides, any non-metal forms acidic oxides.

Types of oxides;

Acidic oxide;

a). when non-metal burns in oxygen they form acidic oxides.

b).acidic oxides dissolve in water to form acids.

c).they also reacts with alkalies to form a salt and water.

d). Acidic oxides turn blue litmus paper blue.

Eg. SO2,CO2,NO2,P2O5

Basic oxide;

a). when metals burn in oxygen, they form basic oxides

b). Basic oxides dissolve in water to for an alkali.

c). they also react with acids to form a salt and water.

d). they turn red litmus blue.

Eg. Sodium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, potassium oxide.

Neutral oxide;

a). they are oxides which have neither acidic nor basic properties.eg. CO,NO,H 2O,N2O

Amphoteric oxides;

a). they are oxides which have both acidic and both acidic basic properties.

b). they react with acids and alkalies to form salt and water.

Eg. Zinc oxide, aluminium oxide, lead(II)oxide, silicon dioxide.

describe how experiments involving the reactions of elements such as copper, iron and
phosphorus with air can be used to determine the percentage by volume of oxygen in air

An experiment was carried out to find the percentage of air that is oxygen. 100 cm 3 of air was
passed from side to side over copper that was being heated with a Bunsen. All the oxygen in the
air will react with the copper. No air could get in or out of the system while it was passed to and
fro between the syringes. As it was passed to and fro, the volume of air went down. It was passed
until the volume stopped decreasing, and a few minutes later the volume of remaining air was
recorded. There was 79 cm3 left. This shows that 21cm3 of the original 100cm3 of air was oxygen,
because it was the oxygen that reacted with the copper to form black copper oxide. During this
experiment, you should see the copper go black as it forms copper (II) oxide.

copper + oxygen  copper (II) oxide

2Cu (s) + O2 (g)  2CuO (s)

Rusting; When iron objects are exposed to moist air for some time ,they are covered with a red
—brown powder known as rust.

Rust is hydrated iron(III)oxide. (Fe2O3.xH2O)

or
Rusting is an oxidation reaction. The iron reacts with water and oxygen to form hydrated
iron(III) oxide, which we see as rust. Here is the word equation for the reaction:

iron + water + oxygen → hydrated iron(III) oxide

1. Rust is only formed by iron not by other metals, while other metals undergo corrosion.
2. Iron + Water + Oxygen Hydrated Iron(III) Oxide
 3. Fe + H2O + O2 Fe2O3.xH2O

Experiment; To Demonstrate that Oxygen and Water are Necessary for Rusting.
1. Place one iron nail in a test tube with some white dry calcium chloride solid.
The top of the test tube plugged with some cotton wool.
Calcium chloride absorbs water vapour from the air and so the air is dry – water is not
present.
2. Place one iron nail in a stoppered test tube of boiled water with a layer of oil on top of
the water.
The water was boiled for 15 minutes to drive off all the dissolved oxygen.
The oil prevents oxygen from the air dissolving in the water.
3. One nails is placed in an open test tube containing some water.
4. One nail is placed in boiled water and sodium chloride.(no air present)
5.one nail is placed in salt solution.

Allow the tubes to stand in a beaker or test tube rack for a few day and examine for rusting.
Results: rusting only occurs in tube 3; no rusting without water or without
oxygen.
Tube 5.nail in tube 5 will be more rusted. Salt solution speeds up rusting
Conclusion: water and oxygen are together needed for rusting.

Prevention of Rusting:

a) Painting; Painting the metal places on its surface an impermeable barrier to water and air.
Therefore the metal cannot come in contact with water and oxygen and so rusting

cannot take place.

b) Oil; A layer of oil is placed on the surface of the metal.

Water and oil do not mix and so water is repelled from the surface.
Without water rusting cannot occur.

c) Galvanizing; Galvanizing is the coating of an object with zinc.

The zinc coating may be done by electroplating or dipping it into molten zinc.
The zinc becomes covered with a thin layer of zinc oxide on its reaction with
oxygen of the air.The zinc oxide forms an impenetrable protective layer preventing further
corrosion.

Sacrificial protection: In this method, surface of iron is covered with layer of more active metal
like zinc. This active metal loses electrons (undergoes oxidation) in preference to iron and
hence, prevents the rusting of iron. By attaching a magnesium or zinc block to the iron via a
wire or directly, whenever the iron rusts, the magnesium or zinc metal would oxidise in place of
the iron. However, the magnesium or zinc block must be replaced periodically as it is oxidised.