Here's how to determine the number of electrons in an oxygen molecule (O₂):

* Oxygen's Atomic Number: Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, meaning each oxygen atom has 8 protons and 8 electrons.

* Oxygen Molecule: An oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms bonded together (O₂).

* Total Electrons: Since each oxygen atom has 8 electrons, a molecule of O₂ has 8 electrons/atom * 2 atoms = 16 electrons.