Separate Hydrogen and Oxygen from Water Through Electrolysis

Electrolysis a method of separating elements by pushing an electric current through a compound. It is used in various industrial applications such as removing copper from its ore. It is also used to separate hydrogen and oxygen from water. Electrolysis isn't the most efficient way to obtain hydrogen, but it is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to "homebrew" hydrogen.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. With the "green-energy" craze and talk of powering our future oil-free economy on hydrogen, it has gotten much attention in the last few years. Learning about this potential fuel of the future is important and interesting. Besides, hydrogen is a powerful fuel, and blowing stuff up in the name of science is fun .

Step 1 Electrolysis of Water - An Explanation

This section is an explanation of the electrolysis of water, feel free to skip it if you don't find it interesting.

2H2O(l) = 2H2(g) + O2(g)

As everyone knows a water molecule is formed by two elements: two positive Hydrogen ions and one negative Oxygen ion. The water molecule is held together by the electromagnetic attraction between these ions. When electricity is introduced to water through two electrodes, a cathode (negative) and an anode (positive), these ions are attracted to the opposite charged electrode. Therefore the positively charged hydrogen ions will collect on the cathode and the negatively charged oxygen will collect on the anode.

When these ions come into contact with their respective electrodes they either gain or lose electrons depending on there ionic charge. (In this case the hydrogen gains electrons and the oxygen loses them) In doing so these ions balance their charges, and become real, electrically balanced, bona fide atoms (or in the case of the hydrogen, a molecule).

The reason this system isn't very efficient is because some of the electrical energy is converted into heat during the process. There have been reports of 50%-70% efficiency, but I doubt that is possible in a home environment. Anyway, enough with the boring stuff, lets go make some gas!

Comments

[onebadvette]

One thing people need to keep in mind with this kind of setup is that you are not going to get the kind of flow required to do any kind of work that will help MPG. These HHO system type things are sold on ebay with plans etc. The amount of work and energy required to get a substantial amount of gas is...substantial. I don't have a degree in physics, but used to run a machine that was designed to make pure O2 for submarines. It required 1050 amps of DC current to produce 120scfh with double that for Hydrogen which we disposed of overboard. The amount of gas produced from a 12 volt source is not enough to help your car. It's a cool science experiment for school, but that's about it. Former MM2(SS) A-gang type. (google what that is. I also used to run the CO2 scrubbers and COH2 burners for atmosphere control.)

[grapenut]

1050 amps = about 7 solar panels on a sunny day

[daddyo44907]

I have to disagree with you. I have worked with HHO for 7 years. Our engines receive 14.7 parts of air to each part of fuel vapor. The oxygen content of that is is 20% or less. That is not enough oxygen to burn all of the hydrocarbons. The result is carbon monoxide and a few other greenhouse gases. Adding more oxygen content --- to the metered air --- will increase the burn so that more of the metered fuel is burned and less metered fuel makes it out the exhaust. Oxygen is an oxidizer, without it, the chemical process of combustion will not produce a flame. The more oxidizer, the hotter the flame. People that are using HHO in their vehicles have near zero greenhouse emissions. The engines run smoother, have more power, oil changes are fewer, fuel economy follows -- if and only if the government mandated vehicle computers allow it. They are programmed to maintain 14.7 parts of air for each part of fuel vapor. There lies the problem with fuel economy. The added oxygen, from HHO, does make a positive difference. The added Hydrogen is only a small amount of fuel, but it too makes a difference.

[onebadvette]

Disagree with ME all you like. You CAN'T disagree with the laws of physics and chemistry. What company do you work for? What degree do you have? 7 years? I ran these machines for the U.S. Navy for 12 years as a Machinist Mate. Don't take it from me, here's a link that will dumb down the physics/ chemistry for you. http://www.aardvark.co.nz/hho_scam.shtml and this http://www.aardvark.co.nz/hho_scam2.shtml Now, I'll gather that your going to reply and state that "no, no, no, you've got it wrong." Okay, what's your source? What are the numbers you are going to give us? Consider this as well. Hot rodders use nitrous to have gains in horsepower. Of course, they add more fuel to the available oxygen, but the pitfall is that there is limited amounts of it stored under pressure. When the bottle runs empty, there goes your source. Reread my initial post. If these things were really that efficient, the Navy would use them on submarines for life support. Not just to get more MPG in your car. The company that makes the machines for the Navy is calld Treadwell and their upgraded machines pump out a whopping 225 cubic feet per HOUR. A car is rated in cubic feet per MINUTE. Big difference even in usage. Also, look at that machine and what it takes to make it work. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/treadwell-supplies-oxygen-generator-components-for-nuclear-subs-2-04690/ If you have a device that puts out that amount of CFM, sell it to them and make millions and I'll be quiet. Until then people, these things are nothing more than a cool experiment to show kids. Here's one more great article totally debunking this. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/gas-mileage/4310717

[daddyo44907]

Of course I can disagree with the laws of physics and chemistry. They have been proven wrong many many times. How do you think they got written. Pooof --- there they are? Nadda. John Bedini, Tom Bearden, Howard Johnson; just a few modern day geniuses. It is statements like yours that hold back the future of mankind. You do it because you were taught wrong (you were lied to and made to believe the lie). Let these young people open their minds to possibilities. Don't close or block doors they want to persue, just because you have been there and done that; what might you have missed?

Electrolysis of water is the easiest way to demonstrate the chemical process of separating the ions. Let them do their experiments and let them form their hypothesis; and let them dream of ways to use and improve the knowledge.

As for Nitrous (NOX) --- it is not a fuel --- it is an Oxidizer. Oxides are what make the existing fuel burn hotter.

As for HHO, it only takes one quarter of a liter, per minute, to reduce the harmful emissions that exist in the engine exhaust. Wow, that much. Automobiles are not going to run on HHO, per-say, they are engineered to take in air (they are air pumps). The air dilutes the powerful HHO "perfect fuel". Fossil Fuels need Air in order to burn a flame; HHO does not. HHO is an explosive gas; a perfect mixture. It is many times more powerful than gasoline. I know from experimenting; not from reading what someone wrote about it. Money makes the world go round; Big Oil fuels the world. Big Oil creates the illusions that you read - and believe. Of course, they make it very believable. You can't disagree with the Laws of Physics and Chemistry. Right?

[onebadvette]

You got at least one thing right....NOS allows you to ADD more fuel because the benefit is an increase in HP. You're statements are more rhetoric than anything. Yes, I think people should push the limits with technology. You have to start somewhere. But to state that this system will increase your MPG's is just rubbish. It won't do that with the current materials and technology. Someday maybe it will. If a new metal or combination of metals that allow a smaller amount of current to allow this process to happen and there is a breakthrough of a catalyst that allows the electrolysis to be near self sustaining, then it would be great. Most of the gasoline that we "burn" is sent out the exhaust pipe.
As to your experiences, what degrees do you have? where have you been published? What field experience do you have other than tinkering around in your garage? One quarter of a liter per minute that reduces emissions. That's your findings? The setup presented here won't make that much. Did you bother checking out the machine from treadwell? They make 225 cubic feet per HOUR. And this is getting electrical power from a nuclear reactor. Think that little box in your car is going to make a quarter liter per minute? Wow. I have ocean front property for you in Arizona. REAL CHEAP. Call me.

[daddyo44907]

The people here are not claiming this "experiment" will provide more mpg. This apparatus is a visual aid at most. Someday the world skeptics will realize it takes more than a gallon equivalent of gasoline energy --- to make a gallon of gasoline. How is that for efficiency? Care to compare it to making hydrogen? How about the cost of delivery? Hydrogen can be made at the pump; no middle men to mark up the price. Heck, it can be made in the home; in fact, hydrogen was piped to homes as fuel for stoves and furnaces in 200 major cities, long before natural gas was harnessed, Natural gas eventually used those pipes. It cost nothing to manufacture the natural gas - just delivery of a waste product at the time.

HHO gas is easy to manufacture. It is easy to use it to overcome the pollution caused from burning fossil fuels. It is possible to get better mpg with it. It can be manufactured on board as you drive. The same can be accomplished with just adding oxygen to the metered air. The same can be accomplished by just adding hydrogen to the metered air. So tell me, why won't the EPA just allow more metered air? The rest of the world does; and the rest of the world gets better mpg. Pollution from automobiles is man made. In this country, it is mandated to be 14.7 parts air to each part of fuel vapor. That is so that we the people can not easily get better mpg. It is enforced by our automobile computers.

You are correct about one thing. There are some scam companies out there that advertise and guarantee better percentages of fuel efficiencies. There are no guarantees that any one vehicle will get better mpg's. But, there are thousands of silent testimonies out there, that can attest to getting better fuel economy because of HHO. In the beginning, one had to keep their mouth shut in order to keep their HHO Generator.

You have your opinion of the HHO system based on what someone else published, researched. You are welcomed to it. I for one, have my knowledge of HHO based on work and experimenting that I and others like me accomplished by not listening to skeptics. I thank you for keeping me at the grinding wheel. It is my calling.

As for you having Ocean front property in Arizona, tell me how a smart guy like your self, got suckered in to buying it.

[onebadvette]

Wow. Your thoughts on this subject are comical at best. HHO can be made at home, and in the car. The sheer VOLUME of gas requried to make the difference in output of the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) in power, MPG, or even just to reduce the greenhouse emissions WILL NOT be attained by a system installed in an automobile with TODAY's technology. In the future? It is a possibility.

I was pretty transparent about my experience with this topic, while yours is still nothing but your meanderings on the internet. Where are you published? If you are so secure in the technology that you are using, where is the proof? What sources do you have that are verifiable and repeatable that meet the common scientific standards? Sorry, but "I have my own knowledge" is nothing more than a faith based standard. No more verifiable than asking someone about the existence of God. It's what they believe in based on faith. I'm looking for scientific data that backs up your statements seeing as how you responded to my statements about how much you need to run a car and that this instructable is for demonstration purposes, not an HHO car conversion post. You chimed in on that. PROVE me wrong and make millions, no BILLIONS in the process. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure this back and forth is moot.

[daddyo44907]

Well young wippersnapper, you will just have to live a little longer and experience more out of life before you will understand anything someone tells you. Maybe you will grow up to be a scientist or a scientologist. A good start would be for you to pay attention to what you read.

As for it being possible to make HHO in your car, it is possible. We the people are doing it. As for cleaning up the exhaust emissions, only a half pint of HHO per minute is needed for in-town driving. Not very much is it! It takes less than 5 amps to make that much. That is 60 watts of power. Wow, so much power. You can't make that much, but the rest of us can and do.

I am amazed at how one sided your posts are. No wonder you got stuck with lake ocean front property in Arizona.

But something good came out of this. You now have received your first comments on this website. Wow, that must be a 2 year record. By the way, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you know that Profile thingy, well you forgot to fill it out. If you need an example to follow, look up mine.

[mnoel2]

To onebadvette & daddyo44907 I do have several Degrees and have worked for DOD,DOE DARPA,/ Adv.Appl. Physics / Metallurgy /Mech.eng. /Electrical eng./ Your Both so F-----up and old school/ Rule in your views Its just comical!!! Yes we do have the necessary materials/ Electronics/ Technology on hand( off the shelf) to to produce Hydrogen Fuel/ HHO, Via Electrolytic Bond separation, on site,ie; on a vehicle,in space,under water Cheaply ,Highly efficiently, and coast effectively, and not at 4parts energy in for 1part fuel out as all the past rules applied have suggested, But at closer to 2 to 1 and less But your both so ingrained with your inside the box, turn of the 19th century thinking,as well most of the Scientific community that you will argue the point with each other beyond reason, thusly never taking or having, the time to truly generate new ideas. And might I add that there is NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN, Nicola Tesla was doing exactly this in his kitchen sink in 1898 !!!! I have designed exactly that system only with a 83.5% efficiency !! I am waiting to present this for patent till the two other similar devices patents effectively expire . In the meantime I am presently working on substantial miniaturization,operational longevity, and efficiency increases.

[daddyo44907]

Electrolysis is just one way of releasing H &O from water. You can rant, wave your degrees, talk your shat; but waiting for patents to expire is a poor excuse; if it were true, you would keep your mouth shut instead of trying to show off on this little science project forum. Tesla is dead; his patents, that are worth anything, are bought up, controlled. You will not be allowed to market any product that uses water as fuel; even if it is given away to the public -- free. As a fuel additive yes, but as fuel --- No.

[onebadvette]

Young wippersnapper? I'll let the readers judge for themselves as for the validity of your claims. You've provided NO real facts when asked. NO SOLID PROOF, other than to forward your obvious agenda from your profile "thingy". Yes, I know what it is. No, I'm not going to change it. I've completed 10 strategic deterrent patrols on Trident ballistic missile submarines. Probably more technology on board than most people see in their lifetime. I pay attention to what I read. You can keep on believing in a device that is akin to perpetual motion. It doesn't work. Chemistry, as well as physics, prove it doesn't provide enough energy to make a difference at this time. Yes, the process itself works, but not on a big enough scale to do what these people claim. It's obvious from your profile what your agenda here is. 33 posts in 3 days? You must be here trying to scam people into believing the fals science that is HHO. The internet, and any physicist or chemist will tell you, that it's a scam.
The Arizona property was in jest. You're 63 and should know sarcasm when you see it. I've been here at this site, unregistered however, since inception. I'm sure you have better things to do with your time in retirement than to go back and forth on the internet about a system that you think works, and which I, as well as anyone with moderate common sense, knows doesn't. Good day.

[mnoel2]

To onebadvette & daddyo44907 I do have several Degrees and have worked for DOD,DOE DARPA,/ Adv.Appl. Physics / Metallurgy /Mech.eng. /Electrical eng./ Your Both so F-----up and old school/ Rule in your views Its just comical!!! Yes we do have the necessary materials/ Electronics/ Technology on hand( off the shelf) to to produce Hydrogen Fuel/ HHO, Via Electrolytic Bond separation, on site,ie; on a vehicle,in space,under water Cheaply ,Highly efficiently, and coast effectively, and not at 4parts energy in for 1part fuel out as all the past rules applied have suggested, But at closer to 2 to 1 and less But your both so ingrained with your inside the box, turn of the 19th century thinking,as well most of the Scientific community that you will argue the point with each other beyond reason, thusly never taking or having, the time to truly generate new ideas. And might I add that there is NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN, Nicola Tesla was doing exactly this in his kitchen sink in 1898 !!!! I have designed exactly that system only with a 83.5% efficiency !! I am waiting to present this for patent till the two other similar devices patents effectively expire . In the meantime I am presently working on substantial miniaturization,operational longevity, and efficiency increases.

[Vwhybrid]

I am in the process of rebuilding a 1967 VW Bug. I am researching ways to try to use HHO as an alternative fuel on this car. Any direction you may have to help me find the most useful info would be awesome. Or if you need a car to help market your product I would love to bring HHO power to life.

[zuner2012]

@ both of you. Since making HHO takes such small amounts of energy, small solar panels can provide enough power to create it. Consider this: letting solar panels sit and create a lot of HHO while you're watching a movie or reading a book seems fairly efficient to me. Sure, the law of conservation of energy says energy cannot be creates nor destroyed, only transferred. The creation of HHO would be converting the sun's energy to chemical energy in HHO. We can then use this to increase the efficiency of fuel burning.

But hey, whatever.

[Lindner]

I like Zuner2012's idea. And it would work in theory, but.... You see people have been able to form H2 and 02 for over a hundred years the only reason we are'nt using it is that we have no way of safely storing it. H2 and 02 are used as fuel for the majority of space crafts (in liquid form) and it produces almost 5 times the amount of energy per gram of tnt. So if you had a hydrogen fuel cell in your car and you happened to get into a crash there is no way you would survive and there is a good chance that it would kill anyone in surrounding cars as well. As for the two arguing geazers, I have a friend that has a small h2 o2 generator in his car and it gives him about 2 extra miles per gallon while on the highway. Whether you believe me or not I have proof for myself that it does do a little something for your engine.

[daddyo44907]

Actually, hydrogen rises rapidly, 20 feet per second. It disperses so rapidly, a flame has to be darn near touching the escaping gas. Tests have shown it to be much safer than gasoline.

If you’ve used a rechargeable battery, driven a hybrid vehicle or put solar panels on your roof, you’re benefiting from the work of Stanford Ovshinsky. But unless you’re an energy aficionado or you work in the automotive industry, chances are you’ve never heard of him. “Stan can be a great salesman, but he always says: ‘I’m not going to tell you about it, I’m just going to show you.’” Stan invented a way to store hydrogen safely. http://www.hho4free.com/stan_ovshinsky.htm

After watching this video, I question what we have been told about pressurizing HHO. 15 to 20 PSI is supposed to self ignite. Hmmmm.
The Hydrogen Hog generator operates at 60 PSI and has been tested over 100 PSI. One comment left, on the video below, YouTube page, said it was safe even at 120 PSI. More research is needed. If it is safe to pressurize the HHO, then that will help move us forward. http://www.hho4free.com/pressure_tests.htm

Oh by the way, I am the old gezer that is arguing FOR HHO and its significant value.

[dafrique]

Hi Daddyo, your comment are on point and i really have fun reading you replying to these degrees wavers and naysayers..one thing is clear to me...promoting HHO as new fuel for car or home heating will dwindle the almighty fuel hungry multinational oil companies and as you know, in every advance, there will always be some moles which role is only to make you believe this is impossible to do so to protect the interest of who sent them. We all know that now, only dumbers fail to realize that.and still wonder how did the world evolve??how many lost they live for changes and so forth...anyway i do believe you and i think you are on something solid here..I don't have all these degree but i'm dumb enough to understand that we as the people(99%) need to figure out a way to create our own safety net by trying to save and not spend like the 1% which your naysayers belong to . Anyway i'll be glad to know a little more about HHO fuel and how i can me too make it a reality in my daily life so to smirk at the renewable energy naysayers.
Also i'm working on some project for divers..i will need some of your expertise in it. feel free to email me..your response is highly expected.

[daddyo44907]

Thank you dafrique, for the kind words and support. The young people on here are smart; they seek ideas, information, and support. That is good because they are our future, and our future Will Run on Hydrogen from water; not oil. The late Stan Meyer, one of the most noted water scientists, in my opinion, found a way to harness the energy in water. He once proclaimed that there was more energy in one gallon of water, than in 3,000,000 Barrels of Oil; no typo there. They killed him. His twin brother, Steven, carries on his work. Steven has a 2004 patent for an on demand HHO Fueling Station for hydrogen cars, as well as conventional fueled cars, trucks, air planes, machinery, and small engines. Perhaps you will be able to fill your oxygen tanks - there - with pure oxygen derived from water.

You are welcomed to visit my web hho4free.com. I sell nothing; absolutely nothing. I do not ask for or accept donations; and Information is Free.

[onebadvette]

Here's the real deal with all of this. Do your own experiments and see what results you get. I'm here to tell you that if you think you're going to the cfm required to produce any kind of results that will make a significant impact, try it and see. let me know what your results are, and if they're that significant, I'll go in half with you and we'll make millions.

[ProCactus]

LOL @ This convo. Very funny :)

Argue with a fool and people wont know the difference.

Yeah 6 months late, But an email brought me here.
Besides it seems to be enough time for you two to finish what ever you's are talking about.

I have a basic understanding of how much power is needed to produce Hydrogen.
I also have enough understanding to realize the volume of gasses going in and out of an ICE.

I think that helped to make this even more funny :)

[daddyo44907]

What you fail to realize is that the high volume of air is no longer needed when HHO is the fuel. Air is needed to burn gasoline. It is not needed to burn HHO; it dilutes HHO.

You say you have basic understanding of how much power is needed to produce Hydrogen. Do you realize it takes the equivalent energy of one gallon of gasoline, to extract, and produce one gallon of gasoline? Then it has to be delivered to the pump.

[attspars]

With regards to HHO--
I have been running a self built 'scam' type HHO producer in one of my cars for 6 years. The exhaust pipe became clean on the inside (using the finger test) after producing only 1 l/m. Since I started out with this unit I have changed things as time went by and now run a unit at 28 l/m and am very happy to sit back and say nothing.
The Daddyo44907 and Onebadvette have stimulated me enough to write this.
So thank you both.
My results on fuel saving for the last 5 of those 6 years are posted here for you to view. Just a few particulars to advise the vehicle details.
Toyota Corona 1993, 2000 cc engine, petrol, fuel usage 10km/litre to 13km/litre on low octane fuel alone at between 45 and 1300 meters above sea level.
The higher speed open road running gives the lesser result of the two figures.
With the HHO unit running my fuel usage is between 22km/litre and 26km/litre.
The unit draws 15amps and does not heat up-- the electrolite is potassium carbonate.
I believe that physics theory is only theory as I rely on the practical results and don't care about any thing else.
All to their own.
For me -- I don't let the experts get in the way unless they can help me - and some have helped me improve things.
I have nothing to prove and am not selling any thing.
Keep the the head banging going I enjoy the read.

[The Incredible IT Maker]

ppl.... pointless to argue over the net......

[player2756]

thats something i can agree with

[CyborgGold]

Seeing as how you have experience with my question, though it is off topic here... I have been wondering how much oxygen produced constantly (eg. liters per minute) per cubic foot of space would be needed to have a noticeable positive effect? I am considering making a solar powered device that would feed oxygen into my house to freshen the place up a bit similar to the way plants do, since I can't seem to keep a plant alive for any respectable period of time. I'm pretty sure the oxy generator would require more power than a typical solar cell could produce (amperage wise) but am curious about how much gas would theoretically be needed. Thank You in advance if you can help!

[onebadvette]

You're going to need a lot of power to produce a large amount of oxygen. Someone smarter than I figured out how much energy is requried to produce X amount of O2. I know for certain that the amount needed to have performance gains on an engine that uses 500 CFM (per MINUTE) is substantail. We had 1050 AMPS of DC current running through the cells to produce 120scfh (per HOUR) drawing power from a nuclear reactor. To refresh the air in your home, figure out how many cubic feet your house is, then get a fan that does that amount of change in whatever specific time you like. You get the fresh air that way with less power. Plants are easier than you think. Consider an automated watering system and put them in the windows for sunlight. Sorry, probably not the answer you are looking for, but that's fact. I chimed in here because there are people out there who believe that these HHO products will give the gains advertised and I know it not to be true. There's no conspiracy, just scientific fact to debunk it. Yes, you can make O2 and H from water. To make a difference in an automobile, you need a lot of it.

[fd18]

Does anyone know where to find details on other variables involved in the process. I've been tossing around some ideas and need some exact info.

Does the surface area of the electrodes have an effect?

Does the type of electrode have an effect? and what does each do?Copper?Aluminum?iron?

What are other readily available electrolytes besides salt and baking soda?

Is an electrolyte necessary when using distilled water?

[grapenut]

Note- distilled water is not a great conductor of electricity. I am told that very very pure distilled water does not actually conduct electridity.
As for the other questions I can only speculate but I will try.
Surface area- my gut is that bigger is better
type - being that copper is so widely used in homes, etc for wiring I am thinking it may be safer than aluminum and is certainly a better conductor of electricity than iron.
salt/baking soda - saw a post that indicated ordinary salt my produce chlorine gas (not godd to breath and highly corrosive) Baking soda MAY be safer.
electrolyte - yes it makes the water more conductive.

[TimmyMiller]

on your drawings the anode and cathode are reversed

[grapenut]

Hey TM, I am wondering if it is because the layperson normally call the "hot lead" the positive and the ground lead the negative.
In science the negative is usually called the "hot lead" because electricity is the flow of electrons which are negatively charged particles. I have found this to be confusing for a number of years & was wondering if that could be the issue here?

[meeran]

hi their
firstly i want to thank you for this wonderful explanation, what i want is to make a machine for producing power (electricity) form water by separating H2 from O2, the H2 will burn and O2 (will go to outside like an exhaust gas), is that possible scientifically, and how much power do i want to produce a huge power to make a car start???
please it is urgent .
thanks

[pyrophysicist]

it is impossible to produce energy this way becaus of the law of conservation of energy (energy cannot be created nor destroyed). wich means that you cannot get more energy than you put in. the amount of energy that you get from burning hydrogen is directloy proportional to the energy that you would have to use to sepperate it. so in a perfect world the best you could do is break even, but since we do not live in a perfect world, a lot of that energy will be radiated into the environment as heat. so in short you have invented a highly efficient energy waster :P sorry

[grapenut]

Try to think about it like this. Once upon a time (long long ago) the earth had about 40% oxygen. During this time the dinasaurs roamed the earth and were only able to do so with their extraordinarily large size, long limbs, and appendages because of the earths greater oxygen content (side note: giraffs can barely survive with their super long necks). One day the earth was struck by a meteor so big that it shifted the earth's axis and consumed much of the oxygen (the reason dinasaurs disappeared so rapidly; smaller life forms such as humans only need about 16%). Fast forward to the next meteor that will someday strike the earth. How will we be able to create additional oxygen if needed for survival? Solar panels create DC current and when the batteries in the system are fully charged the excess power generated by the solar panels could be diverted to the Hydrogen & oxygen generator where by the O2 would be used for breathing and the H2 would be used for the hydrogen power cells that might come in handy as an alternate power source on not so sunny days. I guess my point is that this kind of thing can have many uses depite the conservation of energy; particularly if solar cells become more affordable and the energy used from the sun is free then hydrogen can be stored and can be portable when the sun and solar cell may not be.

[Pat-Man]

this is helping a lot on my pace project for 8th grade and i thank you for that

[nuclear12321]

An interesting fact that I found is that baking soda does not produce the harmful chlorine gas that salt does. Worth a try!

Another thing: if I want pure hydrogen should I put another, bigger bowl high over it to capture the lighter hydrogen gas or will it just escape? I think the oxygen will sink slightly... or will it?

[ammad]

hi
can u plz tell me which is the best metal use for the electrodes for get more hydrogen and for increase the efficiency???????????????
plz ans me soon
thanks

[smartguy2]

What size battery should I use to make hydrogen?

[amos33]

It takes 2 volts and .02 amps to split water molecules.

[bylerfamily]

9v.