Instructions on How to Make a Hydrogen Generator

Making hydrogen in a small quantity can be a fun experience as a science project or other project. Creating a hydrogen generator can be done using a small battery, some wire, water and a glass. When creating hydrogen you will create oxygen simultaneously.

Things You'll Need

• 9-volt battery
• 2-by-1 foot of cable
• Two gallon tank of water
• Two glasses
• Knife or pliers

Instructions

1. Fill the two-gallon water tank with water.

2. Take off approximately one inch of insulation at the tip of the cables with pliers or a knife.

3. Put the two glasses inside the water and let them get full. Turn them upside down and let them rest at the bottom of the tank.

4. Put a cable inside each glass.

5. Connect the cables to the battery. Small bubbles will start to appear on the end of the cable. The cable connected on the "+" will give out oxygen and the one connected to the "–" will give off hydrogen.

Tips & Warnings

• You can burn hydrogen and oxygen separately in small quantity (1/4 glass) without danger.

• That experiment will produce twice as much hydrogen as oxygen because the water molecules being broken down contain two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen.

• Do not collect both gasses in the same container and light it on fire as the explosion can be dangerous even if the gas is produced in a small quantity.

References

• Sci Toys: Fuel Cell