How can I prevent my hydrogen experiment from burning up?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter AfterShave
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a hydrogen experiment where the participant seeks advice on preventing combustion during the collection of hydrogen gas. The scope includes experimental methods for gas collection and safety concerns related to burning hydrogen.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes successfully separating hydrogen and oxygen but encounters issues with oxygen not being released and creating a vacuum that leads to combustion when hydrogen is ignited.
  • Another participant questions the setup, suggesting that hydrogen should displace water in a collection tube and expresses confusion about how to control the burning of hydrogen.
  • A third participant proposes that burning hydrogen requires oxygen and suggests that the participant's method of filling the bottle with hydrogen before allowing it to escape may be flawed, as it could lead to fire being drawn into the bottle.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing understandings of the experimental setup and the conditions necessary for safely burning hydrogen. There is no consensus on how to resolve the combustion issue.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully clarified the assumptions regarding the experimental setup, including the role of oxygen and the mechanics of gas displacement in the collection process.

AfterShave
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Ok guys. My dad is a science geek and he can't figure this out. So I am going to ask for more help. I have figured out how to separate the hydrogen and the oxygen. For some reason the oxygen wasnt coming out though, but i decided to let the oxygen stay in the water. Btw that is what its doing, I researched it :). So, I have figured out a way to get the hydrogen to come out in mass amounts, however, for somereason I have a suction, meaning that i have more pressure on the outside of this bottle then on the inside. This is creating a vacume, so when i light the hydrogen it burns it all up, which i don't want it to do. So what should i do? BTW, if you guys can help me with this I have an excellent idea that I am doing a science project on, basically i am creating electicity without polluting and a lot of it, for cheap, and no battery recharging, its pretty awesome, so please help me.

Aftershave
 
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Have you read any of the other Hydrogen threads?

I do not understand your problem. You should be starting with a tube full of water, as H accumulates it will displace water. The "emply" space in the collection tube will be H. How do you propose to burn only some of the H?
 
Ok Heres the Answer

What happens if you only have hydrogen? Does it burn. No. So you need oxygen. What I am trying to do is to get that hydrogen 1st fill up this bottle, and then it will push its way out of the bottle, so there is no oxygen, and thus, fire will only burn above the hole. I have watched it and it looks like it sucks the fire in so i think that might be my problem. But anyways if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to advice and suggest, we really want to make it to nationals and we no we can, but we need some help. Thanks.

This is a new quote i heard today.

Just remember, every time someone masterbates god kills a kitten.
 
Oh No...my New Kitten Just Died!
 

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