Yes, oxygen can freeze.
Understanding Oxygen's Freezing Point
Oxygen, in its gaseous state, can transition to a solid state under extremely low temperatures. The freezing point of oxygen is remarkably low, at -218.79 °C (-361.82 °F) or 54.36 K. This is far below typical Earth temperatures, explaining why we don't encounter frozen oxygen naturally. However, in laboratory settings or specialized cryogenic environments, freezing oxygen is achievable. [Liquid oxygen has a density of 1.141 kg/L (1.141 g/ml), slightly denser than liquid water, and is cryogenic with a freezing point of 54.36 K (−218.79 °C; −361.82 °F) and a boiling point of 90.19 K (−182.96 °C; −297.33 °F) at 1 bar (15 psi).]
Practical Considerations and Examples
- Laboratory Settings: Scientists routinely freeze oxygen for research purposes, utilizing cryogenic techniques. [In my advanced physics class of over 10 years ago we froze oxygen by first liquifying it in balloons placed in liquid… ] This involves processes like liquefying oxygen first, then further cooling it to its freezing point.
- Cryogenic Safety: Handling frozen or liquid oxygen requires stringent safety precautions due to its cryogenic nature. [Because of its cryogenic nature, liquid oxygen can cause the materials it touches to become extremely brittle.] Specialized equipment and training are essential to prevent accidents. [Cryogenic-Safety-Manual.pdf]
- Extreme Environments: While rare on Earth, temperatures cold enough to freeze oxygen could theoretically exist in certain outer space environments.
Why We Don't See Frozen Oxygen Commonly
The extremely low temperature required for oxygen to freeze rarely occurs naturally on Earth outside of specialized scientific settings. This is why we typically only encounter oxygen in its gaseous or liquid form. [No. Oxygen freezes at -219°C (-362°F). Temperatures on Earth do no get this low outside of laboratories. Extreme cold would, however, decrease… ]
