Hydrogen is the chemical element that is represented with the symbol ‘H’. It is the most abundantly occurring element that constitutes about 75% of the universe’s elemental mass. Hydrogen gas was first artificially produced by T. Von Hohenheim. The gas can be made by following some simple chemical reaction. An easy way to make hydrogen gas is by passing current through water. The materials required for producing the gas at home are limited to a few, with salt water and lantern battery being the main supplies. While doing this, you should know how to make correct connections of the terminals, so that two separate gases - oxygen and hydrogen - are produced simultaneously. Go through the instructions given below and learn how to make homemade hydrogen. We also bring you another method to make hydrogen gas that is made by using NaOH. Read below to know the procedures.
Making Hydrogen Gas
First Method
Things Required
- Pencil
- Sharpener
- Lantern Battery (greater than 1.5 volts)
- Wire
- Jar full of tap water
- Cylinder
- Electrical tape
- Small piece of cardboard
Procedure
- Cut a pencil into two halves. Sharpen both ends of the pencil, in order to expose the graphite.
- Attach once end of the wire to the tip of each half of the pencil. Tape the wire down, by holding it against the pencil.
- Secure the other end of the wire to the terminals of a lantern battery. Twist the metal fibers, present in the coil, so that the wire is attached to the battery firmly.
- Pour water in a jar and place the cardboard on it. Punch small holes in the cardboard, and push the pencils through the holes.
- Make sure that only the tips of the pencil halves touch the water.
- After a minute or two, small bubbles will start forming at the tips of the pencil halves. .
- Hydrogen bubbles will form on the tip connected to the negative battery terminal , while oxygen bubbles will form on the other tip
- You can collect the hydrogen gas in a cylinder.
Second Method
Things Required
- Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
- Aluminum (scrap)
- Water (H2O)
- Heat Resistant Vessel
- Safety Goggles
Procedure
- Add 10 tablespoons of NaOH to one quart of water, in the reaction vessel. Mix and stir slowly. Let NaOH dissolve completely in water.
- Add the aluminum scrap to the solution, when NaOH has dissolved completely. Bubbles will be formed on the surface of aluminum.
- The oxygen present in water will combine with aluminum and form aluminum-oxide, which will settle at the bottom of the container. It will deposit in the form of black sand.
- The reaction will continue for a period of about one hour. The released bubbles are hydrogen, which you can collect in a separate container.
Warnings
- NaOH is highly dangerous. So, be careful while handling it. It can burn your skin and can prove harmful for your eyes also. Take care that you keep it out of reach of children.
- The vapors coming out of the reaction are extremely harmful for body. So, never breathe the fumes coming out of the reaction.