The most common element on our planet is oxygen: in water it is 89%, in air about 21%, in human body- 65%. It is synthesized artificially and is widely used in medicine in the treatment of various forms of oxygen starvation, as well as in cases of nitrite and CO poisoning (displaces it from its biocompounds with blood hemoglobin). It is also indicated for large blood losses, tuberculosis, shallow breathing, pulmonary edema, long-term stay in hospital, etc.
What is the composition of oxygen? Its molecule (O2) consists of two atoms connected by a covalent bond. Today there are many known laboratory methods synthesis of this gas. Innovative technologies allow it to be produced on an industrial scale. The main raw materials for the industrial synthesis of oxygen are water and air. To obtain O2 from air, it is first liquefied at high pressure and rapid cooling, after which rectification is carried out in distillation columns in which the air is repeatedly evaporated and condensed. This method makes it possible to obtain oxygen with an admixture of inert gases (xenon, krypton) and nitrogen (about 1.5%). When using the electrolytic method, O2 is obtained from water without the above gas impurities.
Properties of oxygen
O2 is a tasteless, odorless gas that supports combustion well, but does not burn itself. This substance reacts with almost any element except inert gases. Oxygen is highly soluble in water and 95-degree ethanol.
Authenticity test
To identify O2 gas, it is necessary to collect it in a test tube and bring a smoldering splinter to it. In the presence of oxygen, the splinter will flare up and burn with a bright flame. How to differentiate oxygen from its impurities, together with O2, form nitrogen oxides, which are released in the form of orange smoke.
Mechanism of action and use of oxygen
With a deficiency of this gas in the body, the functional activity of the nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems is disrupted as a result of this pathology, shortness of breath, cyanosis manifests itself, blood pressure decreases, and asphyxia occurs. When oxygen is introduced into the body, these phenomena disappear.
The use of oxygen mixed with CO2. Methods of its introduction into the body
There are several ways to introduce oxygen into the body: by inhalation through the nose (using a catheter), through the mouth (inhalation through a mouthpiece from a pillow), under the skin. Subcutaneous administration is practiced, for example, in the treatment of elephantiasis, gangrene, trophic ulcers. So-called oxygen cocktails - oxygen-enriched drinks in the form of foam - are also widely used. This use of oxygen is recommended in the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Prolonged inhalation of pure O2 has irritant effect on mucous membranes respiratory tract.
IN medical practice quite often a mixture of oxygen and CO2 is used - carbon dioxide, which has an exciting effect on respiratory center. Today, various mixtures of oxygen and CO2 are used (most often with a carbon dioxide content of up to 10 percent). Such drugs include carbogen (not to be confused with carbolene - activated carbon). It is stored in special cylinders under pressure. The use of oxygen in a mixture with carbolene is indicated in the treatment of glaucoma, as well as in case of poisoning carbon monoxide.
Oxygen storage methods
Oxygen is stored in special seamless steel cylinders, which are painted blue. The specified containers are manufactured only at specialized factories and enterprises. It should be remembered that in order to avoid a fire or explosion, taps and cutters are prohibited from being lubricated with oils.
Oxygen – chemical element Group VI periodic table Mendeleev and the most common element in earth's crust(47% of its mass). Oxygen is a vital element in almost all living organisms. Read more about the functions and uses of oxygen in this article.
General information
Oxygen is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that is poorly soluble in water. It is part of water, minerals, and rocks. Free oxygen is formed through the processes of photosynthesis. Oxygen plays the most important role in human life. First of all, oxygen is necessary for the respiration of living organisms. It also takes part in the decomposition processes of dead animals and plants.
Air contains about 20.95% oxygen by volume. The hydrosphere contains almost 86% oxygen by mass.
Oxygen was obtained simultaneously by two scientists, but they did it independently of each other. The Swede K. Scheele obtained oxygen by calcining saltpeter and other substances, and the Englishman J. Priestley obtained oxygen by heating mercury oxide.
Rice. 1. Obtaining oxygen from mercury oxide
Use of oxygen in industry
The areas of application of oxygen are vast.
In metallurgy, it is necessary for the production of steel, which is obtained from scrap metal and cast iron. In many metallurgical units, oxygen-enriched air is used for better combustion of fuel.
In aviation, oxygen is used as a fuel oxidizer in rocket engines. It is also necessary for flights into space and in conditions where there is no atmosphere.
In the field of mechanical engineering, oxygen is very important for cutting and welding metals. To melt metal you need a special burner consisting of metal pipes. These two pipes are inserted into each other. The free space between them is filled with acetylene and ignited. At this time, oxygen is released through the inner tube. Both oxygen and acetylene are supplied from a pressurized cylinder. A flame is formed, the temperature of which reaches 2000 degrees. Almost any metal melts at this temperature.
Rice. 2. Acetylene torch
The use of oxygen in the pulp and paper industry is very important. It is used for bleaching paper, for alcoholization, and for washing out excess components from cellulose (delignification).
IN chemical industry oxygen is used as a reactant.
Liquid oxygen is needed to create explosives. Liquid oxygen is produced by liquefying air and then separating the oxygen from the nitrogen.
The use of oxygen in nature and human life
Oxygen plays the most important role in the life of humans and animals. Free oxygen exists on our planet thanks to photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of formation organic matter in the light with the help carbon dioxide and water. As a result of this process, oxygen is produced, which is necessary for the life of animals and humans. Animals and humans constantly consume oxygen, but plants consume oxygen only at night and produce it during the day.
Use of oxygen in medicine
Oxygen is also used in medicine. Its use is especially important for difficulty breathing during certain diseases. It is used to enrich the airways in pulmonary tuberculosis, and is also used in anesthesia equipment. Oxygen in medicine is used to treat bronchial asthma, diseases gastrointestinal tract. For these purposes, oxygen cocktails are used.
Also great importance have oxygen cushions - a rubberized container filled with oxygen. It serves for individual use medical oxygen.
On our planet there is great amount chemical elements that can be used by humans in the most in different forms. And one of the most common substances is oxygen. Scientists have proven that such an element is part of more than one and a half thousand compounds in the earth's crust. In a free state, oxygen is present in the air. This element is extremely important for nature, and people actively use it in industry. Let's talk about what oxygen is, consider its properties and discuss its use in medicine.
Properties of oxygen
Oxygen has chemical formula O2 is an inherently colorless gas with no taste or odor. This substance is somewhat heavier than air and has the ability to dissolve in small quantities in water. Oxygen is a fairly strong oxidizing agent that, when heated, can react with many metals and non-metals. When exposed to iron, such a substance provokes rusting, which can also be classified as slow oxidation. In air, it is oxygen that supports the processes of combustion of many elements, decay and respiration.
Where is oxygen used?
People use oxygen in the chemical and metallurgical industries. These are burners with an oxygen-air mixture, welding and flame cutting of metals, rocket fuel. In addition, it is often used in medicine.
Use of oxygen in medicine
A sufficient supply of oxygen is extremely important for the normal functioning of all our organs and systems. This chemical element should make up about twenty percent of the air around us. But in practice it turns out that in modern cities and apartments its amount is much less. Lack of oxygen or oxygen starvation is hypoxia.
Such a shortage negatively affects our health and can trigger the development of COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. People lacking oxygen suffer from headaches, insomnia, depression, decreased immunity, muscle and joint diseases. In addition, such a deficiency is fraught with premature aging of the body, circulatory and metabolic disorders.
To replenish the lack of oxygen, you can spend time on fresh air– in park areas and coniferous forests. This is effective, but it takes some time. If you need to speed up the process, then oxygen is used in medicine to treat hypoxia. It is stored in blue metal cylinders that can withstand high pressure up to 15 MPa (150 atm).
To supply oxygen to a person, a special oxygen concentrator can be used, which is located in medical institutions. This device is intended for oxygen therapy and can be used in intensive care units. In this case, it represents a source of pure oxygen and is intended for the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma, the already mentioned COPD, cardiovascular diseases, as well as intoxications. This device helps to cope with choking in case of injury, states of shock, as well as in case of failure of the kidneys.
An oxygen concentrator can be used in inpatient departments and even at home to treat patients who suffer from bronchopulmonary and other ailments that require sufficient supply of clean air.
Also, such a device is actively used in many children's institutions, clinics, sanatoriums, sports clubs, at home and in inpatient departments in order to prevent a wide variety of ailments, as well as to strengthen the immune system. It is also used to prepare special oxygen cocktails.
Oxygen therapy
This procedure is considered one of the most popular in modern medicine. It is used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia, as well as tuberculosis and many allergic diseases. The use of oxygen therapy in medicine is also advisable for intoxication and many other pathological conditions that are accompanied oxygen starvation. This implies saturation of the cells of the respiratory organs, as well as the blood, with active oxygen. This process is carried out using special masks and tubes through which air saturated with oxygen enters. Carrying out a course of such treatment helps to get rid of shortness of breath and debilitating cough, improve sputum discharge and eliminate wheezing.
In many health centers, as well as in sanatoriums, not only inhalations are carried out, but oxygen baths, cocktails and special pressure chambers are also practiced.
So, for example, oxygen baths perfectly improve overall well-being, optimize blood pressure, eliminate insomnia, improve metabolic processes and relieve a person from headaches. In addition, such procedures can significantly improve the condition of the skin and soothe nervous system.
As for oxygen cocktails, they look like airy foam saturated with oxygen bubbles. They are prepared in various children's institutions, clinics and sanatoriums, as well as in many health camps and inpatient departments. The cocktail is based on juice or herbal decoction, giving the product taste and color. Consumption of oxygen cocktails helps improve immunity, increase performance, optimize activity digestive tract and cardiovascular system.
Pressure chambers with oxygen are also very popular. They are actively used in maternity hospitals, for caring for premature babies and babies with problems respiratory organs. In addition, pressure chambers can be used in surgical departments for operating on patients with respiratory problems.
Thus, oxygen, the properties of which allow it to “eat” metal, is extremely important element for a person who is actively used in medicine.
Ekaterina, - /site/
P.S. The text uses some forms characteristic of oral speech.
Probably each of us noticed how good it is to breathe in a pine boru or the village, how children sleep peacefully and soundly after a long walk in the fresh air. In order for the body to work and rest well, it needs oxygen. The air we breathe should normally contain at least 20% oxygen. In reality, the oxygen content in the atmosphere of megacities, apartment buildings and offices is two times less.
Reduced oxygen content in the air and poor ecology lead to the development of COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and, as a consequence, to the failure of vital functions. important organs and systems. This is associated with health problems such as headaches, insomnia, depression, decreased immunity, muscle and joint diseases, premature aging body, metabolic and blood supply disorders.
Of course, to make up for the shortage oxygen best in the body naturally: walking more often in the fresh air, visiting park areas and coniferous forests. For medical and cosmetic purposes, an oxygen concentrator is used to enrich the body with oxygen - a device designed for oxygen therapy:
In intensive care departments hospitals and clinics as a source of pure oxygen to help patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, intoxication, suffocation due to injuries, shock and renal impairment.
- in hospital and at home for treatment sick suffering from bronchopulmonary and other diseases who vitally need clean air.
- in sanatoriums, children's institutions, clinics, in sports clubs, at home and in hospitals for the prevention of diseases, strengthening the immune system and preparing oxygen cocktails.
Oxygen therapy- one of the most popular procedures in modern medicine. It is indicated when bronchial asthma, obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, allergies, intoxications and other diseases accompanied by oxygen starvation. The essence of the treatment is to enrich the cells of the respiratory organs and blood with active oxygen. This process is carried out using special masks and tubes through which air rich in oxygen is supplied. After completing a course of oxygen inhalation procedures, shortness of breath and debilitating cough disappear, sputum discharge improves, and wheezing disappears.
In health centers and sanatoriums, oxygen therapy is not limited to procedures. Oxygen baths, cocktails and pressure chambers are widely used here. Oxygen baths help improve general well-being, normalize blood pressure and sleep, improve metabolism, relieve headaches and have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin. The procedure of taking an oxygen bath relaxes a person and normalizes the functioning of the nervous system.
While taking a bath, oxygen penetrates the surface layers of the skin and activates the functioning of nerve endings, which leads to improved functioning of all organs and systems.
Oxygen cocktails- drinks familiar to us from childhood. They are an airy foam filled with oxygen bubbles. Cocktails are usually made in children's institutions, clinics, sanatoriums, health camps and hospitals. The basis of the cocktail is usually juice or infusion medicinal herbs. They give the cocktail color and taste.
Oxygen cocktails strengthen the immune system, increase performance, and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal system and heart. A popular type of oxygen treatment is barotherapy. It is based on the effect on the body of oxygen supplied under high blood pressure. In maternity hospitals and surgical departments there are special pressure chambers in which births are performed for women with various problems with health or operate on patients who have difficulty breathing.
Oxygen chambers for caring for newborn babies are equipment without which it is unthinkable to provide assistance to children who were born prematurely or have various problems with the functioning of the respiratory organs. IN for preventive purposes Pressure chambers are used to enrich the body with oxygen, which helps rejuvenate the body and accelerate metabolic processes. In addition, the pressure chamber is useful for people exposed to frequent stress to relieve fatigue and irritation.
IN recent years direction of oxygen therapy has become especially popular in cosmetology. Mesotherapy, oxygen capsules, masks and creams enriched with oxygen provide access of this element to tissues and systems, activate their work and help you look young. During the mesotherapy procedure under oxygen pressure useful material therapeutic serum penetrates into the deep layers of the skin and improves their nutrition.
As a result, blood supply to the skin improves, it becomes elastic and healthy. After mesotherapy, cell renewal occurs and cellulite disappears. Oxygen capsules are used in programs to combat cellulite; they also promote the effective absorption of nutrients and moisturizing substances into the skin, improve cell regeneration and promote overall rejuvenation of the body. Oxygen-containing creams, masks, shampoos and serums make the skin healthy and elastic, rejuvenate and improve its appearance.
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The use of oxygen is based on its chemical properties.
Oxygen in the air is extremely important for combustion processes. Burning different kinds fuel, receive heat, which is used to satisfy a wide variety of needs, including converting it into mechanical and electrical energy. With the participation of atmospheric oxygen, fuel is burned at thermal power plants, fuel in car engines, and metal ores are burned at non-ferrous metallurgy factories.
Welding and cutting of metals
Pure oxygen with acetylene are widely used for the so-called autogenous welding of steel pipes and other metal structures and cutting them. For this purpose, a special burner is used, which consists of two metal tubes inserted into each other. Acetylene is passed into the space between the tubes and ignited, and then oxygen is passed through the inner tube. Both gases are supplied from cylinders under pressure. The temperature in an oxygen-acetylene flame is up to 2000 ° C; most metals melt at this temperature.
In medicine
Oxygen is the most important biogenic chemical element that ensures the respiration of most living organisms on Earth. The physiological effect of oxygen is versatile, but decisive in its therapeutic effect has the ability to compensate for oxygen deficiency in body tissues during hypoxia (insufficient supply of oxygen to tissues or impaired absorption).
Inhalation (inhalation) oxygen is widely used for various diseases accompanied by hypoxia (lack of oxygen): with respiratory diseases (pneumonia, pulmonary edema, etc.), of cardio-vascular system(heart failure, coronary insufficiency, sharp drop blood pressure etc.), poisoning with carbon monoxide, hydrocyanic acid, asphyxiants (chlorine, phosgene, etc.), as well as other diseases with impaired respiratory function and oxidative processes.
In anesthesiological practice oxygen is widely used in a mixture with inhaled narcotic analgesics. Pure oxygen and its mixture with carbon dioxide are used when breathing is weakened in postoperative period, in case of intoxication, etc.
Oxygen is widely used for the so-called hyperbaric oxygen therapy- use of oxygen under high pressure. The high efficiency of this method in surgery has been established, intensive care serious illnesses, especially in cardiology, resuscitation, neurology and other areas of medicine.
Also used enteral oxygen therapy (introducing oxygen into the intestines or stomach) by introducing oxygen foam into the stomach, used in the form of a so-called oxygen cocktail. Used for general improvement of metabolic processes in complex therapy cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and others pathological conditions associated with oxygen deficiency in the body.
Pure oxygen They are also used for breathing by pilots during high flights, divers, on submarines, etc.
Oxygen pillows are used for some diseases to facilitate breathing.
In metallurgy
Oxygen is widely used to intensify chemical and metallurgical processes. Pure oxygen is used, in particular, in the production of sulfuric and nitric acids, synthetic methyl alcohol CH 3 OH and other chemical products.
When oxygen-enriched air is blown into a blast furnace, the temperature of the furnace increases significantly, the process of smelting iron is accelerated, the productivity of the blast furnaces increases and coke is saved.
The idea of the advisability of enriching the blast with oxygen was expressed back in the 19th century. However, the widespread use of oxygen-enriched air in blast furnace production and in metallurgy in general was delayed until for a long time. This was due high cost oxygen, as well as disruptions in the technological process that occurred during the smelting of processing cast iron.
After many industrial studies, the theory and technology of blast furnace smelting using oxygen-enriched blast was developed.
IN agriculture
In greenhouse farming, to increase the weight of animals, to enrich the aquatic environment with oxygen in fish farming.
IN Food Industry acts as a propellant (for spraying other substances), as a packaging gas and even as food supplement(E 948).
Rocket fuel
A mixture of liquid oxygen and liquid ozone is one of the most powerful oxidizers of rocket fuel (the specific impulse of the hydrogen-ozone mixture exceeds the specific impulse for the hydrogen-fluorine and hydrogen-oxygen fluoride pairs).
Liquid oxygen is used to make explosive mixtures - the so-called oxyliquits. These are mixtures of sawdust, dry peat, coal powder and other flammable substances, compressed in special cartridges and impregnated with liquid oxygen before use. When such a mixture is ignited by an electric spark, it explodes with great force. Oxyliquits are used in the development of ore deposits by explosive methods, when laying tunnels in the mountains, digging canals, etc.
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