The chemical formula for oxygen is O₂.
This means that oxygen typically exists as a diatomic molecule, meaning two oxygen atoms are bonded together. This form, known as dioxygen or molecular oxygen, is the most abundant form of oxygen found on Earth, present in the atmosphere and dissolved in oceans. [^1] The formula O₂ represents this fundamental structure. While other forms of oxygen exist (such as ozone, O₃), O₂ is the most common and relevant form when discussing the formula of oxygen.
Several resources confirm this:
- PubChem: Lists the chemical formula of oxygen as O₂. [^2]
- Byju's: States that O₂ is the most common and used formula for oxygen. [^3]
- Reddit Chemistry: Confirms that liquid oxygen also has the formula O₂, as a change of state is a physical change, not a chemical one. [^4]
This formula is crucial in various scientific fields, from understanding atmospheric composition to calculating the oxygen content in blood. [^5, ^6] Different compounds involving oxygen will have different formulas depending on which elements oxygen combines with and their relative proportions. For example, water (H₂O) and lithium oxide (Li₂O) both contain oxygen, but their formulas reflect the specific combination of elements involved. [^7]
[^1]: The most abundant form of oxygen on Earth is dioxygen, which is its chemical name, whose formula is O2. This form of oxygen is also known as molecular oxygen and can be found in the atmosphere or dissolved in oceans. Two atoms of oxygen are chemically bonded to form the dioxygen molecule.
[^2]: Oxygen | O2 | CID 977 - PubChem https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/977
[^3]: Oxygen Formula Along With Symbol, Properties And Structure https://byjus.com/oxygen-formula/
[^4]: What is the chemical formula for liquid oxygen? : r/chemistry https://www.reddit.com/r/chemistry/comments/vozb3n/what_is_the_chemical_formula_for_liquid_oxygen/
[^5]: A New Formula for Predicting the Fraction of Delivered Oxygen ... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30467224/
[^6]: How to calculate the total oxygen content of arterial blood ... https://www.medmastery.com/guides/blood-gas-analysis-clinical-guide/how-calculate-total-oxygen-content-arterial-blood
[^7]: What is the formula of the ionic compound formed by the elements ... https://socratic.org/questions/what-is-the-formula-of-the-ionic-compound-formed-by-the-elements-lithium-and-oxy
