What are the industrial uses of oxygen?

Answer 1

Oxygen is important for all combustion process, such as the burning of the hydrocarbon fuels (oil, coal, petrol, natural gas) which heat our homes and power our cars. Fires need O2 to burn, and removal of O2, by for example smothering or spraying with CO2, is one way to extinguish fires. Welding, using oxy-acetylene torches, is another important industrial application, whereby acetylene gas (the fuel) and oxygen are mixed in the correct proportions and ignited to provide an intensely hot flame. In the steelmaking industry huge quantities of O2 are blown through the impure molten ore, where it burns off any impurities that are present (particularly carbon). About 1 tonne of O2 is required for every tonne of finished steel!