In chemistry, oxide is defined as a compound made up of an oxygen atom and an atom of another element (sodium, calcium, iron, etc.). Oxides can be found in different forms: solid, liquid, and gaseous, as well as at room temperature. Oxides that have a single oxygen atom are known as monoxides, those that have two atoms are called dioxides, and so on.
According to their chemical behavior, oxides can be classified into:
- Basic oxides: it is composed of a metal plus oxygen.
- Acidic oxides: they are composed of a nonmetal plus an oxygen.
- Amphoteric oxides: are those composed of an amphoteric element. This type of oxides can act as an acid or a base, depending on with whom they are reactivated.
For its part, carbon oxide, better known as carbon dioxide, is a gas that does not present any color or odor and is usually released during combustion, respiration and certain fermentations. This is made up of the combination of a simple radical or a pair of oxygen atoms. Carbon oxide is responsible for regulating the global warming of the earth and that, through the greenhouse effect, helps the planet have a bearable temperature for biomass.
Nitrogen oxide is a gaseous chemical compound made up of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. It is characterized by being a colorless gas with low solubility in water. This gas has narcotic properties; therefore it is used very frequently in the field of dentistry. However, it is important to mention that nitrogen oxide can cause damage to health, as it can cause damage to the respiratory tract and lungs.
At present the presence of nitrogen oxide has been increasing notably, causing the formation of the hole found in the ozone layer.
It is important to mention that in everyday jargon, this term is often used to refer to the physical or mental exhaustion that a person may experience. For example, when a person is not used to doing exercises and does them, they can have many muscle aches, so they will say that they are "rusty".
