What are the two gaseous allotropes of oxygen?

What are the two gaseous allotropes of oxygen?

• A. Oxygen gas and ozone
• B. Oxygen monomer and ozone
• C. O2 and O2-
• D. Diatomic oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3)

Answer: (D)

Allotropes are different forms of the same element with distinct arrangements of atoms and bonding. For oxygen, the gases present under normal conditions are diatomic oxygen, O2, and ozone, O3. O2 is the stable diatomic molecule that makes up most of Earth's atmospheric oxygen and is essential for respiration. O3 is a triatomic molecule formed through photochemical reactions in the atmosphere and serves to absorb a portion of ultraviolet radiation. An ion like O2− is not a neutral gaseous form, and atomic oxygen (O) is highly reactive and not a common stable atmospheric gas at room temperature. Therefore, the two gaseous allotropes of oxygen are diatomic oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3).

Allotropes are different forms of the same element with distinct arrangements of atoms and bonding. For oxygen, the gases present under normal conditions are diatomic oxygen, O2, and ozone, O3. O2 is the stable diatomic molecule that makes up most of Earth's atmospheric oxygen and is essential for respiration. O3 is a triatomic molecule formed through photochemical reactions in the atmosphere and serves to absorb a portion of ultraviolet radiation. An ion like O2− is not a neutral gaseous form, and atomic oxygen (O) is highly reactive and not a common stable atmospheric gas at room temperature. Therefore, the two gaseous allotropes of oxygen are diatomic oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3).