Using water, how do you separate hydrogen and oxygen safely?

Answer 1

The safest way is to use an electrolysis device. This device has a central chamber that is filled with water and two outer chambers that are connected to the poles of a lantern battery. Put a small amount of a weak acid in the water to help with the conductivity. Connect the battery and you will see bubbles forming in each of the outer chambers. One will seem to have twice as much gas forming. This will be the hydrogen. The other chamber will contain oxygen.

Answer 2

Put salt in some water and connect one wire to both the positive and negative terminals of a 6 volt battery. Seperate the other ends of the wire a few inches and place them in the water. The bubbles coming off the positive and negative wires are hydrogen and oxygen. I can't remember which comes off which. You can create enough in a couple of minutes to fill a test tube up and then experiment with your product.

You can vary the current by the amount of salt you put in the water(pure tap water is generally not conductive enough without the addition of salt). If the battery becomes hot to the touch, stop the experiment and add more water to dilute the concentration of salt.

Answer 3

Everyone who answered electrolysis is correct. You need to apply an electrical charge to break the bonds.

When you boil it, you just change it from a liquid to a gas. That doesn't separate the ions.

Think of it this way: ice is solid water. when you melt it, is it still a water molecule or is it hydrogen and oxygen ions?? Its still water. You've just changed phases and that's all boiling it would do.

Answer 4

Electrolysis is one method. Applying (lots of) power into kind of a "fuel cell in reverse" can generate the two gases by separating them out from water. (I think... I've got to review the details of this concept).

But the key word is "safely." Kids, please don't try this at home! Hydrogen (gas) in the presence of oxygen can be extremely explosive, depending on the ratio of their admixture.

By the way, this is one factor arguing against hydrogen-powered cars. They'd better get the distribution methodology just right, or those gasoline-station explosions you've occasionally seen will look like minor blowups in comparison!

Answer 5

Well, its sort of a trick question because thats all water is is hydrogen and oxygen [hence H20.] But boiling it will cause evaporation, basically separating both altogether.

Answer 6

with a hammer and a chisel. but boiling is good too. however if you want to contain the gases, answer 2.

Answer 7

boil it.