Oxygen Was Named on a Mistake
Oxygen is the element we breathe. Lavoisier named it acid-former, believing wrongly that all acids contained it.
Oxygen is the element making up about a fifth of the atmosphere. Its name records an error: Antoine Lavoisier coined it in 1777 from Greek *oxys*, sharp or acid, and *-genes*, producer, because he believed every acid contained oxygen. Hydrochloric acid disproved that within decades, but by then the name was fixed in every European language.
- A chemical element. *Pure oxygen.*
- Air for breathing. *On oxygen.*
- Oxygenate — to supply with oxygen. *Oxygenated blood.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | oxygen | Bottled oxygen. |
| Symbol | O | Element O. |
| Verb | oxygenate | Oxygenate the water. |
| Related | oxidise | Metals oxidise. |
| Related | ozone | The ozone layer. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Oxygen means acid-former.A mistaken name.
- Rusting is slow oxidation.Iron combining with oxygen.
- Ozone is three oxygen atoms.Rather than two.
Oxygen facts
- About 21 per cent — of the atmosphere by volume
- Great Oxidation Event — cyanobacteria transformed the atmosphere around 2.4 billion years ago
- Most abundant element — in the earth's crust by mass
- Oxidation — reactions with oxygen, including rust and combustion
- Ozone — a three-atom form, protective in the stratosphere and harmful at ground level
Coined in French in 1777 by Antoine Lavoisier from Greek *oxys*, sharp, and *-genes*, producing.
Do all acids contain oxygen?
No. Hydrochloric acid contains none, which disproved the theory behind the element's name within a few decades of its coining.
Where did the atmosphere's oxygen come from?
From photosynthesising bacteria, which began transforming the atmosphere around 2.4 billion years ago in what is called the Great Oxidation Event.