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[Ian]

I'm just curious about how scientists discovered oxygen and concluded that there is oxygen all around us. I would like to know how they came to that conclusion. I accept that we all breathe in oxygen and nitrogen but just how do they know? Can you think of any experiments that they did to prove that we are breathing oxygen?

 

[Yahweh]

Its not very hard at all.

This experiment is performed thousands of times a year in highschools all across the country, I'll explain it in laymens terms because its not necessary to drown ourselves in needlessly overcomplicated words and stuff:

With an electrolysis machine, you can force the molecules of water to seperate in their two component elements (this process is called chemical decomposition).

2H₂O + Energy ---> 2H₂ + O₂

In one tube of the electrolysis machine is oxygen gas, in the other tube is hydrogen gas.

We can then take each tube and through a few simple tests, you can see that the two gases formed have demonstratably different chemical properties.

Here's an example a test you can perform: Take two jars, one with "normal air", the second with the mystery gas (which is Oxygen), light a match in both of them. The Mystery Gas allows the match to burn twice as long as the Normal Gas jar. The Mysery Gas is named "Oxygen". This proves that air consists of many types of gases, this is why "air" is not an element.

See this link for a more detailed explanation and a picture of an electrolysis machine.

 

[Ian]

Flames burning when there is no oxygen

I know that a vaccum is required in order to extinguish the flame. I know that when people in Egypt were opening the pyramids, they used a candle to see whether or not there was enough oxygen in the pyramid so that they could explore. If there was no oxygen the flame would burn out. That's how they would know. Also, in the pdf file I opened, it talked about how to get electricity from chemistry. I know that you need an acid base and then you need other chemical elements in order to get an electric charge going. Usually copper and iron are used. They are used in lemon batteries because the lemons have acid in them.

 

[Chaos]

2H2O + Energy ---> 4H2 + O2

I hate to be the one to tell you, Yahweh, but there´s a mistake in this. it says 4xH on the left side but 8xH on the right. Surly you mean 2H² + O².

 

[teddygrahams]

It's not THAT easy... search for "phlogiston" "dephlogisticated" ...etc ... even Priestly who discovered Oxygen didn't really believe in it.

 

[Yahweh]

I hate to be the one to tell you, Yahweh, but there´s a mistake in this. it says 4xH on the left side but 8xH on the right. Surly you mean 2H² + O².

My bad, thanks for correcting me...

Sometimes even Yahweh will make a booboo or two...

 

[teddygrahams]

Its not very hard at all.

This experiment is performed thousands of times a year in highschools all across the country, I'll explain it in laymens terms because its not necessary to drown ourselves in needlessly overcomplicated words and stuff:

Yawheh, your answer is exactly what i HATED about High School and College chemistry.... it doesn't explain the reasoning of the people who did it.

The experiment was done BEFORE the discovery of Oxygen, and by itself does not prove that one of the gases is Oxygen.

The other elements needed are that animals die in an enclosed area, that iron rods rust, and most important of all, is an accurate balance.