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Why is pure oxygen called O2 when oxygen is an element?
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this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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So simply because it's so reactive the most common form is oxygen paired with itself?
Not just with itself, also with other elements. Say, you won't find pure iron in the wild either, because normally it reacts with oxygen so well.
But yea oxygen needs to pair with something because its outer electron shell is incomplete. So pairing with another oxygen atom is likely, but also with whatever else is available - nitrogen, iron, whatever.
Most elements are found in molecules really, with the exception of noble gasses like Helium. And some are less reactive than others.
This is an ELI5 explanation. Well done💯💯
Yes, that's right.