What Happens When You Mix Hydrogen & Oxygen? By Vincent Summers, eHow Contributor Share Print this article Hydrogen and oxygen are both elemental gases at room temperature. When chemically combined excluding other elements, two products can theoretically result: water (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Although it would seem water or hydrogen peroxide would automatically form when you mix hydrogen and oxygen, nothing happens unless there is an initiating stimulus. Other People Are Reading What Happens When Hydrogen & Oxygen Combine? How to Make Hydrogen & Oxygen Fuel Chemical Reaction Requirements Atoms cannot unite chemically without meeting a few requirements. The reaction needs to be chemically possible. The atoms must have the correct spatial arrangement if they are to be able to interact. Chemical reactions require energy to activate and react as well. Representative Equations There are two chemical equations that represent the combination of hydrogen and oxygen: 2 H2 + O2 2 H2O (water) H2 + O2 H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) However, a chemical reaction does not occur simply because hydrogen and oxygen are mixed together. Without activation, nothing will happen if you combine hydrogen and oxygen gas. Activation is Necessary Energy for the activation can come from a spark or a flame. If it is adequate, the reaction will produce some water as well as a lot of additional energy such as a poof or explosion, depending on how much hydrogen and oxygen is present. This is the same reaction that brought down the Hindenburg at Lakehurst, N.J., in 1937. Hydrogen Peroxide The second reaction, while chemically sound, is not possible. Instead, the spark or flame results solely in the production of water vapor. Hydrogen peroxide is formed through a different process.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 21:28:30 +0000
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