Classify oxygen as one of the following: a) nonmetal, b) main group metal, c) transition metal, d) metalloid, e) none of the above

Oxygen is classified as a nonmetal.

This classification is based on its position in the periodic table and its chemical properties. Nonmetals typically have high electronegativities and form covalent bonds. They are poor conductors of heat and electricity and have a tendency to gain electrons in chemical reactions. Oxygen, being in group 16 of the periodic table, shares these characteristics, as it readily forms compounds with other elements and supports combustion processes.