How to Obtain Hydrogen
Hydrogen is universe's most common element, but it is not found on Earth in elemental form. It is so light that the Earth's gravity cannot hold it in its atmosphere. Hydrogen is also reactive, so it must be liberated from other compounds by chemical means. The following steps will explain the most common methods used to isolate hydrogen.
Instructions
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React methane with steam at 700 to 1,100 degrees Celsius using the following reaction: CH4 + H2O -> CO + 3 H2. Additional hydrogen is also recovered from carbon monoxide and steam with this reaction: CO + H2O -> CO2 + H2. This is an efficient reaction and is the most common method of obtaining hydrogen commercially.
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Displace hydrogen from acids with metals. This is the easiest method of obtaining hydrogen in the laboratory. The following shows a typical reaction using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and zinc (Zn): Zn + 2HCl -> Zn2+ + H2 + 2Cl-.
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3
Use any base or acid to produce hydrogen from aluminum and water using the following reaction: 2Al + 6H2O -> 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2. This reaction illustrates how important it is to store pure aluminum in a dry, ventilated area as hydrogen gas can explode easily if it is allowed to accumulate.
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Utilize electrolysis to produce hydrogen from water with the following reaction: 2H2O -> 2H2 + O2. Place a cathode and anode in water and run a low level current through it. Oxygen forms at the anode and hydrogen forms at the cathode. Despite the availability of water, this method is not used commercially because it is inefficient.
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