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Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest element and, at standard conditions, is a gas of diatomic molecules with the formula H 2, sometimes called dihydrogen, [11] but more commonly called hydrogen gas, molecular hydrogen or simply hydrogen.
Hydrogen gas is produced by several industrial methods. [1] Nearly all of the world's current supply of hydrogen is created from fossil fuels. [2] [3]: 1 Most hydrogen is gray hydrogen made through steam methane reforming. In this process, hydrogen is produced from a chemical reaction between steam and methane, the main component of natural gas.
Emissions from burning hydrogen can be negligible but emissions from producing hydrogen are currently higher than direct combustion of the source. [37] Hydrogen has a wide flammability range (3–70% H 2 in air) in comparison with other fuels. [35] As a result, it can be combusted in an internal combustion engine over a wide range of fuel-air ...
Depiction of a hydrogen atom showing the diameter as about twice the Bohr model radius. (Image not to scale) A hydrogen atom is an atom of the chemical element hydrogen.The electrically neutral hydrogen atom contains a single positively charged proton in the nucleus, and a single negatively charged electron bound to the nucleus by the Coulomb force.
The concept of a society that uses hydrogen as the primary means of energy storage was theorized by geneticist J. B. S. Haldane in 1923. Anticipating the exhaustion of Britain's coal reserves for power generation, Haldane proposed a network of wind turbines to produce hydrogen and oxygen for long-term energy storage through electrolysis, to help address renewable power's variable output. [15]
Hydrogen gas released in this way can be used as hydrogen fuel, but must be kept apart from the oxygen as the mixture would be extremely explosive. Separately pressurised into convenient 'tanks' or 'gas bottles', hydrogen can be used for oxyhydrogen welding and other applications, as the hydrogen / oxygen flame can reach approximately 2,800°C.
Natural hydrogen is generated from various sources. Many hydrogen emergences have been identified on mid-ocean ridges. [22] Serpentinisation occurs frequently in the oceanic crust; many targets for exploration include portions of oceanic crust which have been obducted and incorporated into continental crust.
Hydrogen is a common and easy to find element, given that each molecule of water has two atoms of hydrogen for every oxygen atom present. [10] Hydrogen can be separated from water via several means, including steam reforming (normally involving the use of fossil fuels) and electrolysis (which requires large amounts of electricity and is less commonly used).