How to Create Hydrogen Gas
Hydrogen is a gas under standard temperature and pressure. The Earth's atmosphere contains very little hydrogen so it's typically obtained by liberating it from a compound that contains hydrogen. One such method involves running an electrical current through water to split the bond between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the water molecules. This process is known as electrolysis and is a common method of obtaining hydrogen in a laboratory.
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Sodium hydroxide
- Beaker
- 2 wires
- 9V battery
- Test tube
- Test tube holder
- Stopper
Instructions
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1
Mix an electrolytic solution. An electrolyte is a substance that's mixed in the water to allow the water to conduct electricity. Sodium hydroxide is a common electrolyte for this experiment and many other compounds will also suffice. Prepare a sodium hydroxide solution by mixing one part sodium hydroxide with four parts water. Pour the solution into a beaker.
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2
Connect one end of a wire to the positive terminal on the battery. Connect one end of another wire to the negative battery terminal.
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3
Place the free ends of the wires into the electrolytic solution. The two wires may not touch each other but they should have as much contact with the electrolytic solution as possible. These wires are known as electrodes because they will conduct electricity through the electrolytic solution.
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4
Liberate the hydrogen gas from the water. You should observe bubbles forming almost immediately on both electrodes. The negative electrode attracts hydrogen gas and the positive electrode attracts oxygen gas.
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5
Collect the hydrogen gas. Fill a test tube with water and hold your thumb over the top of the test tube. Turn the test tube upside down and place it in the beaker above the negative electrode. Remove your thumb and hold the test tube in place with a test tube holder. Allow the hydrogen gas to displace the water in the test tube. Stopper the test tube to store the hydrogen for later use.
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