How do you separate hydrogen and oxygen from normal water?

Answer 1

Run a direct current through it and each electrode will bubble. One is ox bubbles the other is hydrogen bubbles.

Answer 2

Use electrolisys. The bond between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a water molecule are not particularly strong and can be separated by passing the current from a battery a battery or low-voltage DC power supply (e.g. computer power supply 5 volt rail) is passed through a cup of water (in practice a saltwater solution or other electrolyte will need to be used otherwise no result will be observed). Using platinum electrodes, hydrogen gas will be seen to bubble up at the cathode (the wire at the -ve terminal) , and oxygen will bubble at the anode (the +ve terminal). If other metals are used as the anode, there is a chance that the oxygen will react with the anode instead of being released as a gas.

Schools use this experiment a lot and it does work with ordinary steel wire. Have a look at the link and see the diagram. Becareful, the hydrogen becomes highly explosive if mixed with small volumes of oxygen)

Answer 3

Electrolysis.
A platinum anode and cathode as peaks and a body of water with two air tight containers directly above the anode and cathode.

Like this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4c/Hoffman_voltameter.jpg

The Anode, being negative in relative charge attracts the 2+ Oxygen, while the positive Cathode attracts the two 1- Hydrogens.

This works because water doesn't exist simply as H2O.
It really exists as H- and OH+ intermingling with eachother.
Adding a salt solution to the water also increases its productivity, but will give you deposits on your conductors.

Answer 4

By electrolysis. If you put water in an electrolytic cell, it breaks up into its component ions, H+ and OH-.

The H+ migrates to the cathode and the OH- to the anode of the cell. There the ions pick up and lose electrons respectively to form hydrogen and oxygen.

2H+ + 2e- => H2 (gas)
2OH- => H2O + 2e-+ O2 (gas)

Answer 5

problem with ordinary or 'pure' water- it doesen't conduct very well. You can add H2SO4 and use platinum electrodes...or..apparently (just made this up!) steam spontaneously dissociates at temps above 3000K! ..and the energy you would get from burning the hydrogen is greater than the energy required to heat the water and convert to steam at 3000K..good innit??

Answer 6

Add an alkaline metal and step back

Answer 7

dc volts. I don't remember how many volts or amps.