Liquid oxygen
Liquid Oxygen
Liquid oxygen (Pronunciation: /ˈlɪk.wɪd ˈɒk.sɪ.dʒən/), often abbreviated as LOX, is oxygen that has been cooled to below its boiling point, -183°C, which causes it to become a pale blue liquid. It is one of the physical forms of the element oxygen.
Etymology
The term "liquid oxygen" is derived from the Latin words "liquidus" meaning "liquid" and "oxygenium" meaning "acid former". The abbreviation LOX was coined in the mid-20th century by the aerospace industry, which uses the substance as a rocket propellant.
Related Terms
- Oxygen: A chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group on the periodic table and is a highly reactive nonmetal and oxidizing agent.
- Cryogenics: The production and behavior of materials at very low temperatures.
- Boiling point: The temperature at which a liquid boils and turns to vapor.
- Rocket propellant: A material used either directly by a rocket as the reaction mass that is ejected, typically with very high speed, from a rocket engine to produce thrust.
- Aerospace: The human effort in science, engineering, and business to fly in the atmosphere of Earth (aeronautics) and surrounding space (astronautics).
Uses
Liquid oxygen is used in medicine to provide supplemental oxygen to patients with respiratory disorders. It is also used in the aerospace industry as a rocket propellant, due to its ability to react chemically with fuels to produce a large amount of heat and gas.
Safety
Liquid oxygen is a powerful oxidizing agent. All materials that are compatible with oxygen must be used in environments where the liquid and its vapors can exist. It can react with organic materials and metals, causing combustion or explosion.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Liquid oxygen
- Wikipedia's article - Liquid oxygen
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