The scientific name for oxygen is dioxygen when referring to its molecular form (O₂).
Understanding Oxygen's Molecular Structure
- Oxygen, at standard temperature and pressure, exists as a gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
- Its molecular structure is represented by the formula O₂, which indicates that each molecule consists of two oxygen atoms bound together. This diatomic form is called dioxygen.
Why Dioxygen?
- The term "dioxygen" specifies that it's a molecule comprising two oxygen atoms. This is crucial because oxygen can also exist in other forms, such as atomic oxygen (O), which is very reactive and not stable under normal conditions, and ozone (O₃).
Chemical Symbol
- While the name of the element is "oxygen", the chemical symbol is O. The molecular form, however, is represented as O₂.
| Term | Description | Molecular Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen (element) | The basic element | O |
| Dioxygen | The diatomic molecule that is the typical form of gaseous oxygen | O₂ |
Therefore, when specifically discussing the common, gaseous form of oxygen we breathe, the scientific name is dioxygen.
