Weight change and oxygen consumption measurements were used to study the oxidation of molybdenum from 550 ~ to 1704~ for pressures of 5 to 76 Torr. For temperatures of 550~176 two processes occurred simultaneously, oxide scale formation and molybdenum trioxide volatility. Above 800~ at pressures up to 76 Tort molybdenum trioxide volatilized as fast as it formed. At 900~ and 76 Torr using 1.2 cm 2 samples the primary chemical reaction gave a rate of about 10 is at. molybdenum/cm2/sec. Above this temperature for 1.2 cm 2 specimens the reaction was limited by gaseous diffusion of oxygen. Little change was found in the rate of oxidation to 1615~ Pressure had only a small effect on the rate of reaction for these reaction conditions. However, in the chemically controlled region pressure had an important effect on the rate of oxidation. To extend the temperature region where the primary chemical reaction was rate controlling, samples of small area were used. A sample having a total area of 0.12 cm 2 gave a reaction rate of 8 x 10 is at./cm2/sec at 1410~ For these very fast reactions, appreciable temperature rises occurred, and the actual sample temperature had to be estimated. A log K vs. 1/T plot of the primary chemical