The most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen is also a promising source of "clean" fuel on Earth.
Named after the Greek words hydro for "water" and genes for "forming," hydrogen makes up more than 90 percent of all the atoms, which equals three-quarters of the mass of the universe. Hydrogen is essential for life, and it is present in nearly all the molecules in living things, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. The element also occurs in the stars and powers the universe through the proton-proton reaction and carbon-nitrogen cycle. Stellar hydrogen fusion processes release huge amounts of energy as they combine hydrogen atoms to form helium.
Pure hydrogen gas is scarce in Earth's atmosphere and any hydrogen that enters the atmosphere rapidly escapes Earth's gravity, according to the Royal Society. On our planet, hydrogen occurs mainly in combination with oxygen and water, as well as in organic matter such as living plants, petroleum.
Just the facts,
Atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus): 1
Atomic symbol (on the Periodic Table of Elements): H
Atomic weight (average mass of the atom): 1.00794
Density: 0.00008988 grams per cubic centimeter
Phase at room temperature: Gas
Melting point: minus 434.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 259.34 degrees Celsius)
Boiling point: minus 423.2 F (minus 252.87 C)
Number of isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons): 3 common isotopes, including 2 stable ones
Most common isotope: 1H, natural abundance 99.9885 percent.
Hydrogen Discover
Robert Boyle produced hydrogen gas in 1671 while he was experimenting with iron and acids, but it wasn't until 1766 that Henry Cavendish recognized it as a distinct element. Hydrogen has three common isotopes: protons, which is just ordinary hydrogen; deuterium, a stable isotope discovered in 1932 by Harold C. Urey; and tritium, an unstable isotope discovered in 1934, according to Jefferson Lab. The difference between the three isotopes lies in the number of neutrons each of them has. Hydrogen has no neutrons at all; deuterium has one, while tritium has two neutrons, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Deuterium and tritium are used as fuel in nuclear fusion reactors, according to Los Alamos.
Hydrogen combines with other elements, forming several compounds, including common ones such as water (H2O), ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), table sugar (C12H22O11), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydrochloric acid (HCl)
Hydrogen is typically produced by heating natural gas with steam to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide called syngas, which is then separated to produce hydrogen, according to the Royal Society.
Hydrogen is used to make ammonia for fertilizer, in a process called the Haber process, in which it is reacted with nitrogen. The element is also added to fats and oils, such as peanut oil, through a process called hydrogenation, according to Jefferson Lab. Other examples of hydrogen use include rocket fuel, welding, producing hydrochloric acid, reducing metallic ores, and filling balloons, according to Los Alamos. Researchers have been working on developing hydrogen fuel cell technology that allows significant amounts of electrical power to be obtained using hydrogen gas as a pollution-free source of energy that can be used as fuel for cars and other vehicles.
Hydrogen is also used in the glass industry as a protective atmosphere for making flat glass sheets, while in the electronics industry, it is used as a flushing gas in the process of manufacturing silicon chips.
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