Exactly as the title asks.

Pure oxygen is generally represented as O2 yet oxygen is an element of the periodic table. Why is it O2 and not just O?

  • Kalash@feddit.ch
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Except for noble gases, single atoms are usually quite unstable and will prefere to release some energy to settle into a more stable molecular configuration.