Title: Investigating Hydrogen

Lab#2
Name:Jarissa Banner
Partner: Kelsley Blanco
Date lab was performed: October 17th 2018
Date lab isdue:24th October

Introduction:
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It is estimated to make up more than 90% of all atoms.
Hydrogen in its elemental state is not found naturally in significant amounts in our atmosphere. The lightness of
this gas causes it to be lost to the Earth’s atmosphere, although it is a major component of gas giant planets.
Nevertheless, large quantities are produced in different countries all over the world for various uses. Here we
take a quick look at some of the properties of hydrogen.

Equipment Materials
250 mL beaker splint
small piece of calcium Bunsen burner
2 stoppered Boiling tubes Flint

Exercise I: Collecting hydrogen

The simplest way is to combine a reactive metal with
In order to study hydrogen, we need to generate water.
some.
We shall use calcium.
Ca(s) + H2O(aq)
H2(g) + CaO(aq)

1.2 A 250 mL beaker was r ½ filled with water. a small piece of calcium was obtained.

1.3 Two test tubes were filled with water. Each, was of their mouth
was covered with a finger, and inverted in the beaker no air bubble
was in the test tube. Finger was removed when the mouth of the
test tube was below the water level in the beaker.

1.4 After both tubes were placed in the beaker, the small piece of calcium was placed into the beaker.

1.5 One test tube was moved so that it was directly over the piece of calcium and gas was captured. This
was repeated with the second test tube.

1.6 One test tube from the water, keeping the tube inverted, cap with stopper. This was repeated for the
next tube.
Exercise II: Traditional Hydrogen Test
The reaction of hydrogen when exposed to a lit splint is well known. Here we repeat this test.
2.1 A splint was lit and one of the test tubes with hydrogen was uncapped – it was kept inverted. The splint was
placed at the tube’s mouth. A BARK! sound was the confirmation that hydrogen was present.
2.2 The experiment was repeated using a test tube half-filled with air and half-filled with hydrogen. To do this,
an empty test tube was obtained, the second test tube of hydrogen was uncapped – the tube with hydrogen was
kept inverted. The tubes was placed mouth to mouth then inverted so that the hydrogen tube was on the bottom.
The tubes were held in place for two minutes. The tube on top was capped and kept inverted. The gas was
tested with a lit splint.

Table showing Simple test for hydrogen

gas Observations

Hydrogen light pop sound

Hydrogen + air loud bark

2) Reactions of hydrogen
Here we will be looking at hydrogen reacting with two different metal oxides.
Equipment/Materials

1.5 M HCl Gas Bag

~0.4 g Calcium turnings 30-50 mL syringe
~0.25g Fe2O3 small Bunsen burner
125 mL flask with tubed stopper Magnet
Copper wool 2 glass Pasteur pipet
“000” steel wool ring stand and clamp
100 mL measuring cylinder match or lighter
Gas Tubing wooden stick able to fit into the pipet

Exercise I Collecting the hydrogen

You will be needing a larger volume of hydrogen for this portion of the lab. To do
this we will be reacting calcium with HCl.
1.1 80 mL of 1.5 M HCl was added to the flask, approximately 1 g of Ca was then added to the flask and the
stopper with tubing was put in the mouth of the flask.
1.2 The gas bag was connected to the tubing.
1.3 When reaction the reaction appeared to be complete, the gas bag was closed and removed from the tubing.
Exercise II Reversible reaction of copper to copper oxide
2.1 A wooden stick was used to position a 0.25-g plug of copper wool into a glass pipet. The pipet was clamped
in a horizontal position. A stretch of tubing was inserted at the top of the pipet.
2.2 The Cu/pipet was heated for 30s and then slowly 60 mL of air was passed through the pipet via tubing
inserted at top of the pipette using a syringe filled with air, while the pipet was held in the flame. The reaction
that was occurring is as follows:
2Cu(s) + O2(g)→ 2CuO(s)
2.3 A syringe was filled with hydrogen collected in the gas bag. The H2-filled syringe was connected to the
pipet. A dry test tube was readied. The CuO/pipet was heated and then slowly hydrogen gas was passed through
the pipet while the pipet was held in the flame. Water droplets appeared inside the stem of the pipet. Once all
the hydrogen had been expelled, the syringe was refilled and the flow of hydrogen over the copper was
repeated. The reaction was:
 2 CuO(s) + H2(g)→ 2Cu(s) + H2O(l)
A cool dry test tube was placed in front of the mouth of the test tube.
Exercise III: Reduction of iron (II) oxide with hydrogen
3.1 A small piece of steel wool was inserted at the end of a disposable glass pipette using a wood stick, then
carefully a small sample of iron (II) oxide was added.
3.2 A magnet was held above the iron oxide through the glass.
3.3 The Fe2O3 was heated for 30 s and then slowly H2 gas was passed through the pipe using a syringe as was
done in the previous exercise, while the pipet was held in the flame. The powder quickly darkened and water
droplets appeared inside the stem of the pipet. The heat was removed and the pipet was allowed to cool. A
magnet was held above the mound of solid metallic powdered iron again. The reaction below was expected to
take place:
Fe2O3 (s) + 3 H2(g) →2Fe(s) + 3 H2O(g)

Table showing results from observing reactions of copper and iron ions with hydrogen.

Observations

Initial appearance of copper wool dark orange

Copper after heating with air bright red

After heating with hydrogen returned to original color

water droplets were observed at the tip of the pipet

Interaction of iron oxide with magnet no interaction

Interaction of iron oxide with magnet after treatment after treatment the content in the pipet became attracted
with hydrogen to the magnet

Discussion:
 Metals react with acids at different rates, depending on how reactive the metals are. Hydrogen can be

produced from acids when they react with metals. Hydrogen produces water when it burns. In exercises 1and 2

hydrogen is combusted to form water. The equation for said combustion is 2H2+O2=2H2O ΔH = -484 kJ mol–1.

(Kondratiev, V. July 27th 2018)

The reaction that occurs is similar to that of when a car engine is started there is light, heat, sound and kinetic

energy. Hydrogen gas and air mixtures are very explosive due to very light weight and an explosive boarder

range of 4-77mol%. When doing this experiment pops were heard the best pops came from mixtures of 20-40%

volume of hydrogen.( B.J. Lowesmith2011)

When hydrochloric acid and calcium reacts hydrogen gas is produced. Bubbles of hydrogen gas forms inside

the mixture. When too much HCl and hydrogen reacts an explosion can occur due to too much energy in the

form of heat.in the electro chemical series calcium is higher than hydrogen meaning calcium has a greater

affinity bond with electron receptors than that of hydrogen. (O.M. Lovvik 2009)

Ca+ 2HCl= CaCl2 + H2

Hydrogen gas was passed over the copper(11) oxide and a new bond with oxygen was formed and water

droplets appeared indicating a redox reaction occurred and we had pure copper in the lass test tube once again.

Cu2++ O2= 2CuO this is the chemically oxidative formula for copper.
In exercise 4, Fe2O3 was reduced to Fe3O4 which was further reduced to metallic Fe. Hydrogen was used as the

reduction agent in this two stage process. Iron(11) is a metal that magnets are able to. Hence the reason when

the experiment was done and we passes magnet over the Fe there was an attraction. (Anido,J. 2017)

3Fe2O3 + H2 = 2Fe3O4 + H2O

Fe3O4 + H2 = 3FeO + H2O

FeO + H2 = Fe + H2O

Conclusion:

When hydrogen was combusted a pop was heard. the louder pop came from the test tube with about 20-

40% hydrogen. When calcium and HCl reacts H2 gas is produced. Cu(11) oxide is reduced to Cu in a reversible

reaction with hydrogen.Fe2O3 was reduced to Fe3O4 and further broken down to Fe which had a magnetic

attraction.
Reference:

Anido,J. (2017) .inorganic chemistry hydrogen. Retrieved on:24th October 2018. Retrieved from:

https://www.academia.edu/30185696/INORG_MANUAL_CHEM

Kondratiev, V. (July 27th 2018). Combustion. Retrieved on:20th October 2018. Retrieved from:

https://www.britannica.com/science/combustion

O.M. Lovvik. (2009). journal article Viable storage of hydrogen in materials with off-board recharging using

high-temperature electrolysis

B.J. Lowesmith; C. Mumby; G. Hankinson; J.S. (2011). Journal Article PuttockVented confined explosions

involving methane/hydrogen mixtures