Make Oxygen and Hydrogen from Water Using Electrolysis

The process of splitting water (H2O) into its atomic components (hydrogen and oxygen) using electricity is known as electrolysis. Although it may sound complicated, it's actually easier than you may think if you have the right tools and a little bit of know-how. Read after the jump for the steps involved in making oxygen and hydrogen from water using electrolysis.

Steps

  1. Fill a glass (about 3 in./7.5cm diameter) about 3/4 full of tap water.
  2. Dissolve a tablespoon of table salt in the water. Salt helps conduct electricity better through water. (However this may produce amounts of chlorine gas due to the chloride anomaly. This will not produce significant volumes of the gas unless massive current is applied.)
  3. Place a thin piece of cardboard (a paper plate will work) over the opening of the glass. Poke two thin electrical wires, approximately 1-2 feet/30-60cm long, through the cardboard about 2 inches/5cm apart so that one end of the wire is approximately 2-3 inches/5-7cm submerged in the water.
  4. Wrap the other ends of the wires around the positive and negative terminals of a nine-volt battery. Bubbles will soon begin to form on the submerged ends of the wires, hydrogen gas on negative wire and oxygen on the positive wire.
  5. To produce sizable amounts of hydrogen (or oxygen) [NOTE: Discretion is advised], continue following these steps; otherwise, you are finished at Step 5. You will require, in addition to the previously stated items, a smaller container (a syringe is best) and something with which to suspend the smaller container upside down (tape works adequately).
  6. Submerse the smaller container in the larger glass. without removing the glass from the water; or, bringing the opening above the water level of the big glass, flip the smaller glass so that the opening faces toward the bottom of the larger glass. (If using a syringe, simply put the opening into the glass and pull the plunger, filling the syringe with water, and skip to Step 9).
  7. Bring the smaller glass' opening toward the water surface, but, again, be careful not to let the opening come out of the water. If done correctly, the smaller glass should protrude from the water's surface, but it will be filled with water (it is being suspended by pressure).
  8. Suspend the smaller glass in this position with the clamp/tape/etc.
  9. Insert the HYDROGEN (negative) or OXYGEN (positive) wire into the under-water opening of the smaller container.
  10. Leave it until the smaller container is full.



Tips

  • Small platinum coated copper pins can be found at some craft stores, and they aren't very expensive. Platinum makes a good anode because it doesn't oxidize.
  • Sharpen two pencils on both ends and connect the wires to the ends of the two pencils. Place the other ends in the water. This forms larger bubbles, and they are easier to see.
  • Only use DC currents
  • NEVER dissect a battery to harvest graphite electrodes (or for any other reason). Battery acid is corrosive and can produce toxic fumes. Pencil lead is a simpler and less dangerous source of graphite.
  • If you are worried about the danger of producing chlorine gas, you can substitute the salt for baking soda (NaHCO3) which will produce harmless carbon dioxide as a by-product (although the reaction may not be as fast).
  • The amount of gasses produced is proportional to the current. The current can be increased by use higher voltages (such as those from a computer power-supply), lower resistances (more salt - but don't overdo it) or by moving the terminals closer together.
  • Record your observations.
  • If you have twist ties rip the plastic or paper off of them and they will work.
  • Get creative! Try adding some dish-washing detergent to the water and you will be able to capture bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen.

Warnings

  • With salt water (brine solution), the wire that is producing oxygen will begin producing chloride ions into poisonous chlorine gas. If the water turns, in any form, green, DO NOT continue the experiment, as chlorine is being produced.
  • If you feel like exploding hydrogen, be safe - use hearing and eye protection. If you can, you may want to consider setting up some sort of a remote lighting system such as a sparkler fuse in order to give yourself time to get away, but that is not strictly necessary, considering that you can even light hydrogen you're holding in your hand.
  • Hydrogen gas is explosive when mixed with oxygen. DO NOT collect hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in the same container. Hydrogen is flammable by itself, but when mixed in 2:1 proportions with oxygen (which, if you collected both gases from the electrolysis, it will be in) it explodes very violently.

Things You'll Need

  • Small glass
  • Cardboard or paper plate
  • Water
  • Electrical Wire(or number 2 pencils, or a carbon rod from any dry cell.)
  • caution: be careful while dismantling a battery. the chemicals are poison
  • Salt(or baking soda, or lemon juice,{any acid or base.)
  • 9-volt Battery(or more,but not less)
  • Smaller container (less than 3 inches in height) OR needle-less syringe (recommended) [OPTIONAL]

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