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Is pure oxygen flammable?

myusername

Diamond Member
If you had a chamber with non-reactive walls filled with 100% oxygen gas, no other gases and no solid material, could you make the oxygen somehow combust or explode?
 
No, pure oxygen by itself will not combust. However, it makes things that wouldn't normally burn/explode ignite very easily.
 
So if I were to tell someone that oxygen wasn't flammable, would that make me a smart guy, or an annoying pedant?
 
Originally posted by: myusername
So if I were to tell someone that oxygen wasn't flammable, would that make me a smart guy, or an annoying pedant?
Well that would depend on whether you were giving them information relevant to something, or trying to make yourself look smart.
 
Technically, it won't combust. So, technically it isn't flammable.

However, isn't ozone formation exothermic (I'm too lazy to look it up)? Thus it can react with itself and release energy in a reaction similar to combustion.
 
Originally posted by: dullard
Technically, it won't combust. So, technically it isn't flammable.

However, isn't ozone formation exothermic (I'm too lazy to look it up)? Thus it can react with itself and release energy in a reaction similar to combustion.

I would think it would be mainly 02.

Isn't it just classified as an oxidizer and not flamable?

But ho boy, shooting oxygen at the camp fire is always fun.
 
Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
According to MSDS datasheets on oxygen:
It's non-flammable, non-toxic gas (oxidizer)

Really? I thought in high enough concentrations, it was toxic. Oxygen narcosis, or something similar.

 
But something as inocous as oil contamination an O2 tank threads is HIGHLY combustible...open the valve, hi-pressure 02 hits the threads with oil...and KABOOM! Tank will rocket off loike a missile.
 
Originally posted by: jonessoda
Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
According to MSDS datasheets on oxygen:
It's non-flammable, non-toxic gas (oxidizer)

Really? I thought in high enough concentrations, it was toxic. Oxygen narcosis, or something similar.

Yes high level of pure O2 are toxic to the body(over time)
 
Originally posted by: myusername
If you had a chamber with non-reactive walls filled with 100% oxygen gas, no other gases and no solid material, could you make the oxygen somehow combust or explode?


yes you could make it explode. you just heat it up until the pressure in the chamber is past its critical pressure point and the thing will explode.

 
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