How to Use a Battery As a Hydrogen Generator
Hydrogen and oxygen are components of many compounds. You can extract them from these compounds with a variety of methods, such as electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of splitting a compound into smaller components with electricity. For example, you can split water into its component elements of hydrogen and oxygen by subjecting the water to an electrical current from a battery. This procedure is a common chemistry experiment in high school.
Things You'll Need
- 80 ml water
- 100 ml beaker
- 20 g sodium hydroxide
- 2 wires
- 9V battery
- 2 test tubes
Instructions
-
-
1
Pour 80 ml water into a 100 ml beaker. Add 20 g sodium hydroxide and stir thoroughly. The sole purpose of the sodium hydroxide is to allow the water to conduct electricity. The sodium hydroxide is therefore known as an electrolyte.
-
2
Connect one end of a wire to the positive terminal of the battery. Connect one end of another wire to the negative terminal of the battery.
-
-
3
Place the free ends of the wires into the beaker on opposite sides so that they don't touch each other. The ends of the wires should be near the bottom of the beaker. These wires are called electrodes because they conduct a current across the electrolyte.
-
4
Observe the bubbles forming almost immediately on the electrodes. The bubbles on the positive electrode are oxygen gas, and the bubbles on the negative electrode are hydrogen gas.
-
5
Collect the gases. Place test tubes full of water upside down over the electrodes. The gas bubbles will displace the water and eventually fill the test tubes with hydrogen and oxygen.
-
1
