or do you have to do something more complex to get the job done?
2007-03-03 15:57:13 · 8 answers · asked by COOL KID 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
No, it's just a change of state.
Water vapor is H20, liquid water is H20, ice is H20.
Try electrolysis if you want to decompose water.
2007-03-03 16:01:11 · answer #1 · answered by Vegan 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Boiling water just makes the electrons "excited" and change valence levels. If you compared an atom to the solar system it's like saying the Earth would travel around in Mars's orbit rather than the orbit we are in now, but it would still be in orbit around the sun. It hasn't changed.
Breaking water down into Hydrogen and Oxygen is called electrolysis and is a bit more complex than boiling. It uses electricity to supply the extra electrons the Hydrogen and Oxygen need to be stable without having to share any electrons.
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2007-03-04 00:17:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Boiling water turns into steam (superheated water) and water vapor. To separate water you can use electrolysis. Picture a tube shaped like a U. Put a copper wire connected to a battery into the top of each tube. Turn on a direct current. The water will conduct electricity and break it down into hydrogen and oxygen. Each one will gather at one of the terminals (which is why you don't use alternating current).
2007-03-04 00:01:33 · answer #3 · answered by TychaBrahe 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
boiling will increase volume 1400 % when it hits 212 degrees , but won't break apart the molecule . a D.C. power source hooked to flat copper strips placed in the water , with a pinch of salt added for better conductivity will do it . one pole will give off twice as much gas as the other , that will be the hydrogen . careful its very flammable . see Hindenburg .
2007-03-04 00:17:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water does disassociate into its ions
H+ + OH- -><- H2O
but only very slighty. That is why the pH of water is 7 and it compared to other acids and bases.
So water is constantly doing this, but boiling the water will only change the state of it from a liquid to a gas.
:)
2007-03-04 00:29:12 · answer #5 · answered by Tigeress 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Boiling Water is just vapour form of ordinary water.. its just the same H2O.
Next,
To get the job done, one meathod i know is to pass electricity through it.
Well.. i cant explain the whole process here, but you'll find it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis#Electrolysis_of_water
2007-03-04 01:21:56 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. But immersing two wires hooked up (+ and -) to a DC current will do it fine.
2007-03-04 00:05:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
decompose what?
2007-03-04 00:00:28 · answer #8 · answered by brian_holinsworth1 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋