Which Of The Following Describes A Chemical Property Of Oxygen! Oxygen Liquefies Under Pressure. An Oxygen Molecule May Consist Of Two Or Three Atoms. O The Density Of Oxygen Is 0.00133 G/Cm3. E O Oxygen Reacts With Iron To Form Rust
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: Oxygen reacts with iron to form rust.
Explanation:
A chemical property refers to a substance’s ability to undergo changes or reactions that alter its chemical structure and composition. In the case of oxygen, its ability to react with iron to form rust is a chemical property.
When oxygen comes into contact with iron (Fe) in the presence of water or moisture, a chemical reaction occurs. The iron reacts with the oxygen in the air to form iron oxide (rust), which is a new substance with a different chemical composition from the original elements. This reaction can be represented by the following chemical equation:
4Fe+3O2+6H2O→4Fe(OH)34Fe + 3O_2 + 6H_2O → 4Fe(OH)_3 (iron hydroxide, which eventually turns into iron oxide).
This reaction shows that oxygen is chemically altering the iron, and in this case, the iron is being oxidized, meaning it loses electrons to the oxygen atoms. The process of rusting is a classic example of oxidation, which is a chemical change. The resulting rust is a new substance with properties that are quite different from those of the original iron.
In contrast, the other options describe physical properties of oxygen, not chemical properties:
- “Oxygen liquefies under pressure” is a physical property because it refers to how oxygen changes state (from gas to liquid) under specific conditions, without altering its chemical composition.
- “An oxygen molecule may consist of two or three atoms” is also a physical property because it describes the molecular structure of oxygen, which can be either O₂ (two atoms) or O₃ (ozone, three atoms), but it does not indicate a chemical reaction.
- “The density of oxygen is 0.00133 g/cm³” is a physical property describing the mass of oxygen per unit volume.
Therefore, the chemical property of oxygen is best described by its ability to react with iron to form rust.