Oxygen is a special gas that's all around us, but you can't see it, smell it, or taste it! It's a very important part of the air we breathe, and it helps us live. Here's more about it:
What Does Oxygen Look Like?
- Normally, oxygen is a gas without color, odor, or taste.
- If you made it very, very cold, it would turn into a pale blue liquid. It gets this way at temperatures below –297 °F (–183 °C).
- If you made it even colder, it would freeze into a solid at around –360 °F (–218 °C).
What Does Oxygen Do?
Oxygen is very active and likes to join with other things. This is called "oxidizing." For example:
- When something burns, it’s because oxygen is joining with it very quickly.
- It joins with almost all other elements, making them "oxidized." This is like when metal gets rusty – that's also oxygen at work!
Is Oxygen Important?
Yes! Oxygen is super important. Here are a few reasons:
- We breathe it in to stay alive. Our bodies need it to make energy from the food we eat.
- Most animals and plants need oxygen too.
- Without oxygen, there wouldn't be fire.
Oxygen Facts for Kids
Feature | Description |
---|---|
State | Gas at room temperature |
Color | Colorless as a gas |
Odor | Odorless as a gas |
Taste | Tasteless as a gas |
Liquid | Pale blue below –297 °F (–183 °C) |
Solid | Solid at about –360 °F (–218 °C) |
Chemical | Very reactive and combines with almost all elements |