Solid oxygen

Solid oxygen is the solid ice phase of oxygen. It forms below 54.36 K (−218.79 °C; −361.82 °F) at standard <a href="/facts/Atmospheric_pressure/wJLMSaVG">atmospheric pressure</a>. Solid <a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">oxygen</a> O2, like <a href="/facts/Liquid_oxygen/qnI0KDTb">liquid oxygen</a>, is a clear substance with a light <a href="/facts/Diffuse_sky_radiation/HqPS9Ugv">sky-blue</a> color caused by <a href="/facts/Absorption_(electromagnetic_radiation)/xBYKt7yS">absorption</a> in the red part of the visible light spectrum.
Oxygen molecules have a relationship between the molecular magnetization and <a href="/facts/Crystal_structure/bJ4bCeHd">crystal structures</a>, <a href="/facts/Electronic_structure/RuHwQWfp">electronic structures</a>, and <a href="/facts/Superconductivity/pqQAlSzJ">superconductivity</a>. Oxygen is the only simple <a href="/facts/Diatomic_molecule/hkfKAC7m">diatomic molecule</a> (and one of the few molecules in general) to carry a <a href="/facts/Magnetic_moment/VpAQKJtr">magnetic moment</a>. This makes solid oxygen particularly interesting, as it is considered a "spin-controlled" <a href="/facts/Crystal/e2R2mk3E">crystal</a> that displays <a href="/facts/Antiferromagnetic/aQ124Kh7">antiferromagnetic</a> magnetic order in the low temperature phases. The magnetic properties of oxygen have been studied extensively. At very high pressures, solid oxygen changes from an <a href="/facts/Thermal_insulation/j7tVT4uv">insulating</a> to a <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metallic</a> state; and at very low temperatures, it transforms to a <a href="/facts/Superconductors/pqQAlSzJ">superconducting state</a>. Structural investigations of solid oxygen began in the 1920s and, at present, six distinct crystallographic phases are established unambiguously.
The density of solid oxygen ranges from 21 cm3/<a href="/facts/Mole_(unit)/kCMFwCc0">mol</a> in the α-phase, to 23.5 cm3/mol in the γ-phase.

Solid oxygen open-in-new

Solid oxygen