Yes, oxygen gas (O2) is chemically reactive, and burning is indeed a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with oxygen to form water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process is known as combustion.

During combustion, typically in the presence of heat or a source of ignition, a substance (usually a hydrocarbon like wood, gasoline, or natural gas) combines with oxygen from the air to release energy in the form of heat and light. The general chemical equation for the combustion of a hydrocarbon in the presence of oxygen can be represented as follows:

Hydrocarbon + Oxygen → Water + Carbon Dioxide + Heat

For example, when you burn a piece of wood, the cellulose and other organic compounds in the wood combine with oxygen from the air to produce water vapor and carbon dioxide, releasing heat and light in the process. The chemical reactions involved in combustion are typically exothermic, meaning they release energy as heat.

So, oxygen plays a crucial role in the combustion of many substances, making it a chemically reactive element in this context.

Dr Gaurav H Tandon thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Oxygen is reactive and will form oxides with all other elements except helium, neon, argon and krypton. It is not an inert element but is chemically active as it is reactive and oxidizes with all the other elements except the inert elements like neon, argon, helium, and krypton. Oxygen is highly reactive because of its biracial electronic configuration. Oxygen is a highly reactive element that is very abundant on earth and in the human body. It is found in many compounds that are used to sustain basic life forms and modern civilization. Compounds containing oxygen are of great interest in the field of chemistry. The reactive gases as a group are very diverse and include surface ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxidised nitrogen compounds (NOx, NOy), and sulphur dioxide (SO2). A combustion reaction occurs when oxygen gas (O2) reacts with certain types of compounds. We often call the other compound fuel. A more familiar term for combustion reactions is burning. The most common products of combustion reactions are carbon dioxide and water.Combustion is a high-temperature exothermic (heat releasing) redox (oxygen adding) chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. A combustion reaction occurs when a substance reacts quickly with oxygen (O2). Combustion is commonly known as burning. The substance that burns is usually referred to as fuel. The products of a combustion reaction include carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). A combustion reaction is when a substance reacts with oxygen and releases a huge amount of energy in the form of light and heat. A combustion reaction always includes a hydrocarbon and oxygen as the reactants and always produces carbon dioxide and water as products. An oxidation reaction is one where a substance reacts with oxygen and produces oxides. An oxide is a chemical compound that contains at least one oxygen atom and one other element in its chemical formula. Combustion is an example of an oxidation reaction.It is a combination reaction as carbon combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide. It is a combustion reaction as carbon is burnt in the presence of oxygen.