Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gaseous chemical element which appears in great abundance on Earth, trapped by the atmosphere. Many people are familiar with oxygen, because it is a vital component of the respiration process; without oxygen, most organisms will die within minutes. A number of forms of oxygen and oxygen compounds can be found in nature. Oxygen can also be isolated and sold in pure form for an assortment of uses, and was first isolated and identified in 1774.
The atomic number of oxygen is eight, and it is identified by an O symbol on the periodic table of elements. In addition to being very widely distributed on Earth, oxygen is also the third most abundant element in the universe, and it is a key catalyst in many chemical reactions. Oxidation is one such reaction, and it occurs when oxygen mixes with other elements and compounds. Oxygen also plays a role in combustion
