The Parts of the Element Hydrogen
Hydrogen is an element, the lightest, most abundant in the universe. All living organisms have hydrogen as a component, as do all organic compounds.
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Hydrogen's Components
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Hydrogen has the atomic number 1. It is the first element listed in the Periodic Table of Elements. According to Science News, "It is the number of protons that determines the atomic number." Elements generally have three particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, electrons are negative, and neutrons have a neutral charge.
Hydrogen is an element that lacks a neutron, but has one proton and one electron. Hydrogen is the most studied element, according to Gwen Sibert of the Roanoke Valley Governor's School, because it is the simplest of all the elements.
All elements have weight, or mass, but they are too light to be measured in grams. Instead (amu), or atomic mass unit, is used to describe that weight--they are called daltons. According to Welcome to the Biology Web, "atomic mass is calculated as the sum of the mass of protons, electrons, and neutrons. 1 amu, or (dalton), is equal to approximately 1.7 X 10-24g."
Hydrogen Isotopes
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What is an isotope? According to Wise Geek, "An isotope is a variant on a basic element, a substance made of atoms with a different number of neutrons." As the photo shows, hydrogen has three different forms, hydrogen, or protium with one proton; deuterium with one proton and one neutron; and tritium with one proton and two neutrons.
The term "heavy water" is used to describe these isotopes. According to the Federation of American Scientists, "Heavy water, D2O, is water in which both hydrogen atoms have been replaced with deuterium, the isotope of hydrogen containing one proton and one neutron." Deuterium and tritium are involved with nuclear reactors and the manufacture of thermonuclear weapons.
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Quarks
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How about particles within particles? A quark is very small "theoretical" particle that protons and neutrons are made of, according to the Wise Geek. Theoretical? Yes--these particles have never been directly observed.
Quarks come from quantum chromodynamics, a theory explaining the strong nuclear force that holds atoms together. Without some super-force, we would all being flying around the universe as little bits and pieces.
Uses of Hydrogen
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Hydrogen has many uses, but the most important has to do with "greening" of the earth. Used as a fuel, hydrogen can burn cleanly to power vehicles, cutting down their carbon signature on the planet. The resultant reduction in greenhouse gases will help all of us in the long run with respect to both pollution and the warming effects carbon dioxide has on our atmosphere.
And of course, hydrogen is involved in nuclear reactors that generate tremendous amounts of power to run our factories, and homes.
Hydrogen Weapons
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Hydrogen is also at the center of nuclear weapons production, using a fission explosion to compress fusionable material into yet another more powerful ignition. The hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium are involved in this super explosion.
Developed in 1951 by Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam, the bomb, code-named Ivy-Mike, was detonated by the United States in 1952. According to GlobalSecurity.org, it "was the first explosion of a true two-stage thermonuclear device." The resultant explosion dwarfed any other to date.
Fortunately, we haven't had to use these weapons again, and hydrogen, with its limited amount of parts, is now being used to benefit mankind for a cleaner and brighter future.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Utahraptor - Wikimedia Commons; Florian Marquardt - Wikimedia Commons; Dirk Hunniger - Wikimedia Commons; Arpad Horvath; Comyu - Wikimedia Commons; Wykis - Wikimedia Commons
