Introduction: Exploring Green Energy: DIY Electrolysis Water Device
Hello everyone, today I'm going to conduct a physical experiment on electrolyzing water. Electrolysis of water is the process of breaking water into oxygen and hydrogen gases. This is achieved by passing a direct current through water. Hydrogen gas is produced at the cathode (negative electrode), while oxygen gas is produced at the anode (positive electrode). Additionally, since water molecules consist of 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen, hydrogen and oxygen are generated in a 2:1 ratio. Furthermore, adding salt to water can accelerate the electrolysis process.
I found several websites describing neodymium magnets, such as Wikipedia and TOPMAG (TOPMAG is the source for the diagrams. They're excellent resources for any kind of magnet you can imagine!).
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Supplies
Plastic lunch box
Saline water
Iron frame stand
Battery and battery case
Iron wire, copper wire
Iron nails
Step 1: Creating Square Iron Wire
Fold the iron wire into a square shape and connect both ends, then place it tightly against the edges at the bottom of a plastic lunch box. Leave a section of the wire at the top for connecting to the power source.
Step 2: Copper Wire Stripped to Reveal the Core
Strip off the outer insulation from one end of the copper wire, and coil the tip into a spiral shape.
Step 3: Iron Nail and Copper Wires Positioned
Attach the iron nail in reverse onto the magnet, with its pointed end upwards in the water. Submerge the end of the copper wire with the spiral coil into a solution of saltwater, ensuring that when the wire is pulled taut, it is positioned near the iron nail. Secure the other end of the wire onto an iron frame.
Step 4: Power On
Connect the battery pack, ensuring that the positive terminal is connected to the iron wire in the saltwater and the negative terminal is connected to the copper wire on the iron frame.
Step 5: Observe Experimental Phenomena
Turn on the switch on the battery pack, and observe as a large number of bubbles emerge from the copper wire, while it starts spinning rapidly!
Step 6: Theoretical Principles of the Experiment
In saturated saltwater, there are abundant sodium ions and chloride ions, thus resulting in excellent conductivity. Therefore, the entire circuit forms a closed loop in saturated saltwater. When the battery switch is closed, the circuit is completed, and reactions occur. As a result, a large number of bubbles are observed on the Cu electrode, which is hydrogen gas. These bubbles drive the movement of the copper wire.
On the other hand, the Cu electrode is wound into a spiral coil. When the coil is energized, it acts like a magnet. At the bottom of the saturated saltwater, another magnet is placed. Two magnets with the same polarity repel each other, while those with opposite polarities attract. Under the combined action of the bubbles, the copper wire begins to rotate around the magnet.
