HYDROGEN

A favorite school chemistry experiment is to add a metal such as magnesium to an acid. The metal reacts with the acid, forming a salt and releases hydrogen from the acid. The hydrogen gas bubbles up from the liquid and students collect it in small quantities for further experiments, such as the pop -test. The first recorded instance of hydrogen made by human action was in the first half of the 1500s, by a similar method to that used in schools now. Theophrastus Paracelsus, a physician, dissolved iron in sulfuric acid and observed the release of a gas. He is reported to have said of the experiment, Air arises and breaks forth like a wind. He did not, however, discover any of hydrogens properties.
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Turquet De Mayerne repeated Paracelsuss experiment in 1650 and found that the gas was flammable. Neither Paracelsus nor De Mayerne proposed that hydrogen could be a new element. Indeed, Paracelsus believed there were only three elements the tria prima salt,sulfur, and mercury and that all other substances were made (3) of different combinations of these three. (Chemistry still had a long way to go!) In 1670, English scientist Robert Boyle added iron to sulfuric acid. He showed the resulting (hydrogen) gas only burned if air was present and that a fraction of the air (we would now call it oxygen) was consumed by the (4) burning. Hydrogen was first recognized as a distinct element in 1766 by English scientist Henry Cavendish, when he prepared it by reacting hydrochloric acid with zinc. He described hydrogen as inflammable air from metals and established that it was the same material (by its reactions and its density) regardless of which metal and which acid he used to produce it.
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Cavendish also observed that when the substance was burned, it produced water.

French scientist Antoine Lavoisier later named the element hydrogen (1783). The name comes from the Greek hydro meaning water and genes meaning forming hydrogen is one of the two water forming elements. In 1806, with hydrogen well-established as an element, English chemist Humphry Davy pushed a strong electric current through purified water. He found hydrogen and oxygen were formed. The experiment demonstrated that electricity could pull substances apart into their constituent elements. Davy realized that substances were bound together by an electrical phenomenon; he had discovered the true nature of chemical bonding.
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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HYDROGEN

Visit Chemicools cool, new, hydrogen facts page

Large scale chemical reaction of hydrogen with oxygen. (Why blimps are now filled with helium instead of hydrogen.)

Nasa: The Space Shuttles external fuel tank (orange) filled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen.

Hydrogen cars emit water rather than pollutants.

Laboratory electrolysis of water. Electrical energy is used to split water. Hydrogen gathers in one test-tube, oxygen in the other.

APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

Harmful effects: Hydrogen is highly flammable and has an almost invisible flame, which can lead to accidental burns. Characteristics: Hydrogen is the simplest element of all, and the lightest. It is also by far the most common element in the Universe. Over 90 percent of the atoms in the Universe are hydrogen. In its commonest form, the hydrogen atom is made of one proton, one electron, and no neutrons. Hydrogen is the only element that can exist without neutrons. Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless gas which exists, at standard temperature and pressure, as diatomic molecules, H2. It burns and forms explosive mixtures in air and it reacts violently with oxidants. On Earth, the major location of hydrogen is in water, H2O. There is little free hydrogen on Earth because hydrogen is so light that it is not held by the planets gravity. Any hydrogen that forms eventually escapes from the atmosphere into space. Although hydrogen is usually a nonmetal, it becomes a liquid metal when enormous pressures are applied to it. Such pressures are found within gas giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiters high magnetic field (14 times Earths) is believed to be caused by a dynamo effect resulting from electrically conducting metallic hydrogen circulating as the planet rotates.

USES OF HYDROGEN
Large quantities of hydrogen are used in the Haber process (production of ammonia), hydrogenation of fats and oils, methanol production, hydrocracking, and hydrodesulfurization. Hydrogen is also used in metal refining. Liquid hydrogen is used as a rocket fuel, for example powering the Space Shuttles lift -off and ascent into orbit. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen are held in the Shuttles large, external fuel tank. (See image left.) Hydrogens two heavier isotopes (deuterium and tritium) are used in nuclear fusion. The hydrogen economy has been proposed as a replacement for our current hydrocarbon (oil, gas and coal) based economy. The basis of the hydrogen economy is that energy is produced when hydrogen combusts with oxygen and the only by-product from the reaction is water. At the moment, however, the hydrogen for hydrogen-powered cars is produced from hydrocarbons. Only when solar or wind energies, for example, can be used commercially to split water into hydrogen and oxygen will a true hydrogen economy be possible.

ABUNDANCE AND ISOTOPES

Abundance earths crust: 1400 parts per million by weight (0.14%), 2.9% by moles Abundance solar system: 75% by weight, 93% by moles Cost, pure: $12 per 100g Cost, bulk: $ per 100g

Source: Hydrogen is prepared commercially by reacting superheated steam with methane or carbon. In the
laboratory, hydrogen can be produced by the action of acids on metals such as zinc or magnesium, or by the electrolysis of water (shown on the left).

Isotopes: Hydrogen has three isotopes, 1H (protium), 2H (deuterium) and 3H (tritium). Its two heavier isotopes
(deuterium and tritium) are used for nuclear fusion. Protium is the most abundant isotope, and tritium the least abundant. Tritium is unstable with a half-life of about 12 years 4 months. Naturally occurring hydrogen is a mixture of the two isotopes H and H with natural abundances of 99.99% and 0.01% respectively.
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Atomic number 1 Atomic mass 1.007825 g.mol -1 Electronegativity according to Pauling 2.1 Density 0.0899*10 -3 g.cm -3 at 20 C Melting point - 259.2 C Boiling point - 252.8 C Vanderwaals radius 0.12 nm Ionic radius 0.208 (-1) nm Isotopes 3 Electronic shell 1s1 Energy of first ionisation 1311 kJ.mol -1 Discovered by Henry Cavendish in 1766* * Hydrogen was observed and collected long before it was recognized as a unique gas by Robert Boyle in 1671, who dissolved iron in diluted hydrochloric acid. source: homepage.mac.com/dtrapp/Elements/properties.html

Hydrogen

First element in the periodic table. In normal conditions its a colourless, odourless and insipid gas, formed by diatomic molecules, H2. The hydrogen atom, symbol H, is formed by a nucleus with one unit of positive charge and one electron. Its atomic number is 1 and its atomic weight 1,00797 g/mol. Its one of the main compounds of water and of all organic matter, and its widely spread not only in The Earth but also in the entire Universe. There are three hydrogen isotopes: protium, mass 1, found in more than 99,985% of the natural element; deuterium, mass 2 found in nature in 0.015% approximately, and tritium, mass 3, which appears in small quantities in nature, but can be artificially produced by various nuclear reactions.

Uses: The most important use of hydrogen is the ammonia synthesis. The use of hydrogen is extending quickly in fuel refinement, like the breaking down by hydrogen (hydrocracking), and in sulphur elimination. Huge quantities o hydrogen are consumed in the catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable oils to obtain solid fat. Hydrogenation is used in the manufacture of organic chemical products. Huge quantities of hydrogen are used as rocket fuels, in combination with oxygen or fluor, and as a rocket propellent propelled by nuclear energy. Hydrogen can be burned in internal combustion engines. Hydrogen fuel cells are being looked into as a way to provide power and research is being conducted on hydrogen as a possible major future fuel. For instance it can be converted to and from electricity from bio-fuels, from and into natural gas and diesel fuel, theoretically with no emissions of either CO2 or toxic chemicals. Properties: Common hydrogen has a molecular weight of 2,01594 g. As a gas it has a density of 0.071 g/l at 0C and 1 atm. Its relative density, compared with that of the air, is 0.0695. Hydrogen is the most flammable of all the known substances. Hydrogen is slightly more soluble in organic solvents than in water. Many metals absorb hydrogen. Hydrogen absorption by steel can result in brittle steel, which leads to fails in the chemical process equipment.

At normal temperature hydrogen is a not very reactive substance, unless it has been activated somehow; for instance, by an appropriate catalyser. At high temperatures its highly reactive.

Although in general its diatomic, molecular hydrogen dissociates into free atoms at high temperatures. Atomic hydrogen is a powerful reductive agent, even at ambient temperature. It reacts with the oxides and chlorides of many metals, like silver, copper, lead, bismuth and mercury, to produce free metals. It reduces some salts to their metallic state, like nitrates, nitrites and sodium and potassium cyanide. It reacts with a number of elements, metals and non-metals, to produce hydrides, like NAH, KH, H2S and PH3. Atomic hydrogen produces hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, with oxygen.

Atomic hydrogen reacts with organic compounds to form a complex mixture of products; with etilene, C2H4, for instance, the products are ethane, C2H6, and butane, C4H10. The heat released when the hydrogen atoms recombine to form the hydrogen molecules is used to obtain high temperatures in atomic hydrogen welding. Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water and this reaction is extraordinarily slow at ambient temperature; but if its accelerated by a catalyser, like platinum, or an electric spark, its made with explosive violence.

Health effects of hydrogen

Effects of exposure to hydrogen: Fire: Extremely flammable. Many reactions may cause fire or explosion. Explosion Gas/air mixtures are explosive. Routes of exposure: The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation. Inhalation: High concentrations of this gas can cause an oxygen-deficient environment. Individuals breathing such an atmosphere may experience symptoms which include headaches, ringing in ears, dizziness, drowsiness, unconsciousness, nausea, vomiting and depression of all the senses. The skin of a victim may have a blue color. Under some circumstances, death may occur. Hydrogen is not expected to cause mutagenicity, embryotoxicity, teratogenicity or reproductive toxicity. Pre-existing respiratory conditions may be aggravated by overexposure to hydrogen. Inhalation risk: On loss of containment, a harmful concentration of this gas in the air will be reached ver quickly. Physical dangers: The gas mixes well with air, explosive mixtures are easily formed. The gas is lighter than air.

Chemical dangers: Heating may cause violent combustion or explosion. Reacts violently with air, oxygen, halogens and strong oxidants causing fire and explosion hazard. Metal catalysts, such as platinum and nickel, greatly enhanc these reactions.

High concentrations in the air cause a deficiency of oxygen with the risk of unconsciousness or death. Check oxygen content before entering area. No odor warning if toxic concentrations are present. Measure hydrogen concentration with suitable gas detector (a normal flammable gas detector is not suited for the purpose).

First aid: Fire: Shut off supply; if not possible and no risk to surroundings, let the fire burn itself out; in other cases extinguish with water spray, powder, carbon dioxide. Explosion: In case of fire: keep cylinder cool by spraying with water. Combat fire from a sheltered position. Inhalation: Fresh air, rest. Artificial respiration may be needed. Refer for medical attention. Skin: Refer for medical attention.

Environmental effects of hydrogen

Hydrogen in the environment: Hydrogen forms 0.15 % of the earth's crust, it is the major constituent of water. 0.5 ppm of hydrogen H2 and varial proportions as water vapour are present in the atmosphere. Hydrogen is also a majosr component of biomass, consituing the 14% by weight. Environmental stability: hydrogen occurs naturally in the atmosphere. The gas will be dissipated rapidly in wellventilated areas. Effect on plants or animals: Any effect on animals would be related to oxygen deficient environments. No adverse effect is anticipated to occur to plant life, except for frost produced in the presence of rapidly expanding gases.

Effect on aquatic life: No evidence is currently available on the effect of hydrogen on aquatic life.