O
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Chemical Element
| Stands for | Oxygen |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
O stands for Oxygen, a chemical element abbreviation.
Oxygen (element 8) is the most abundant element in Earth's crust by mass, roughly 46%, mostly bound in silicate rocks, and it makes up about 21% of the air. Animals use it in cellular respiration, and industry consumes huge volumes in steelmaking, welding and medical supply. Its triatomic form, ozone, screens ultraviolet light in the stratosphere.
Example: In a water molecule the O atom sits at the vertex, with an H-O-H angle near 104.5 degrees.
Usage notes
Carl Wilhelm Scheele produced it around 1771-1772 and Joseph Priestley independently in 1774, but Antoine Lavoisier explained its role in combustion and named it in 1777 from Greek oxys (sharp, acid) and genes (forming). The name rests on his mistaken belief that every acid contains oxygen. In hospitals, O2 refers to supplemental oxygen gas; a bare O usually means the element.