Chemical compounds formed when oxygen combines with other elements. These compounds are fundamental in chemistry and occur naturally in minerals, rust, and biological processes.
From French oxide, coined by French chemist Antoine Lavoisier in 1787 from Greek oxys (sharp, acid) and the suffix -ide. Lavoisier mistakenly believed all acids contained oxygen, hence the 'sharp' association.
Oxides are everywhere in your daily life - rust on iron is iron oxide, the red color of Mars comes from iron oxide dust, and even the aluminum in your soda can has a protective layer of aluminum oxide that prevents further corrosion. Without silicon dioxide (sand), we wouldn't have glass or computer chips!
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