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Name origin: Greek: oxys and genes, (acid former)
Description: Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas; pale blue liquid. Third most abundant element in the universe. It is the most abundant element in the earth's crust, and makes up almost 21% of the atmosphere.
Discovered by: Joseph Priestly, Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Year: 1774
Place: England/Sweden
Sources: Obtained primarily from liquid air by fractional distillation. Small amounts are made in the laboratory by electrolysis of water or heating potassium chlorate (KClO3) with manganese dioxide (MnO2) catalyst.
Use(s): Used in steel making, welding, and supporting life. Naturally occuring ozone (O3) in the upper atmosphere shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation.
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