LESSON 4 Energy From Hydrogen
Guiding Question: How can we use hydrogen as a source of energy?
Describe how hydrogen fuel can be produced.
Explain the way fuel cells work and how they are
used.
18.4 LESSON PLAN PREVIEW
Inquiry Students build
ball-and-stick models to help
understand the reactions that
produce hydrogen fuel.
Differentiated Instruction
Less proficient readers use a
diagram to help them under-
stand fuel cells.
18.4 RESOURCES
Lesson 18.4 Worksheets Lesson 18.4
Assessment Chapter 18 Overview
Presentation
GUIDING QUESTION
FOCUS Show students several pho-
tos of vehicles that run on hydrogen
fuel cells. Explain that these vehicles
are uncommon and ask students
why they think this might be the
case. Tell them that, in this lesson,
they will learn the costs and benefits
of using hydrogen as an energy
source.
FIGURE 21 Power From Hydrogen Hydrogen fuel
powered the rockets that blasted vehicles such as the
space shuttle into space.
570 Lesson 4
Reading Strategy Construct a Venn diagram comparing
electrolysis and the breakdown of methane as ways to obtain
hydrogen.
Vocabulary electrolysis, fuel cell
Hydrogen is the simplest and the most abundant element in the universe.
In its elemental form, hydrogen is a gas with the chemical formula H2.
Hydrogen gas can be burned to release energy that, in turn, can gener-
ate electricity. When it is burned to produce energy that people can use,
hydrogen gas is called hydrogen fuel. Its combustion is clean compared to
fossil fuels. The U.S. space flight programs have used hydrogen fuel since
the 1960s.
Hydrogen gas is rare on Earth. Hydrogen atoms bind to the atoms of
other elements, forming compounds such as water (H2O) and methane
(CH4). To release hydrogen, the compounds that contain it must be bro-
ken down chemically.
Why are environmental scientists interested in hydrogen as a source of
energy? One reason is that hydrogen fuel can be stored and transported
from one place to another, unlike most other sources of renewable energy.
We cant transport the wind from North Dakota to North Carolina, and
we cant move the sun from Arizona to the state
of Washington. Some day, however, energy
from the wind in North Dakota may
be used to create hydrogen fuel.
The hydrogen fuel can then be
transported to places like North
Carolina. The portability of
hydrogen fuel is the key to its
potential usefulness.
Producing Hydrogen Fuel
Hydrogen fuel can be produced from the breakdown of water
or other hydrogen-containing compounds.

To produce hydrogen fuel, hydrogen-containing compounds must be

forced to release their hydrogen atoms. The chemical breakdown of
hydrogen-containing compounds requires an input of energy.

Electrolysis One process that releases hydrogen is electrolysis. In

electrolysis, water molecules are broken down into oxygen gas (O2) and
hydrogen gas (H2) by an electric current that runs through the water. This
reaction can be expressed by the following chemical equation:

2 H2O 2 H2 + O2

Electrolysis produces pure hydrogen gas. The process does not emit
greenhouse gases or pollutants. However, the electrolysis of water is a
costly way to obtain hydrogen. ANSWERS

Reading What is electrolysis? Reading Checkpoint A process in

Checkpoint which water molecules are broken
down by an electric current
Breakdown of Methane Hydrogen can also be extracted from the
methane in natural gas. This process is less expensive than electrolysis
and is now the most common way of obtaining hydrogen. The following
equation summarizes the reaction:

CH4 + 2 H2O 4 H2 + CO2

This reaction produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Therefore, energy

experts do not see methane as a desirable long-term source of hydrogen.

Other Methods There are disadvantages to both methods described

above. Therefore, scientists are investigating other ways to obtain hydro-
gen. For example, the heat given off by a nuclear reactor may one day be
used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Researchers are also look-
ing into using algae to produce hydrogen (Figure 22).

FIGURE 22 Hydrogen From Algae

Microorganisms called algae give the
solutions in the bottles their green
color. The algae in the solutions are
producing hydrogen from water.

Renewable Energy Alternatives 571


FIGURE 23 Hydrogen-Powered
Scooter This electric scooter runs on a
fuel-cell battery.
ANSWERS
Reading Checkpoint The processes
that generate electricity require ener-
gy; the fuel is expensive to produce;
it needs to be compressed to be used
in a motor vehicle.
FIGURE 24 A Fuel Cell A fuel cell uses hydrogen
and oxygen to produce electricity. Inside the fuel cell,
hydrogen molecules are split into ions, and an electric
current flows from one terminal of the cell to the other.
572 Lesson 4
Benefits and Costs of Energy From Hydrogen As a fuel,
hydrogen has a number of benefits. Because it is the most abundant
element in the universe, it will never run out. Depending on how it is
made, it produces few greenhouse gases or pollutants. Water and heat
may be the only waste products generated by using hydrogen as fuel.
Hydrogen can be stored and transported from one place to another.
Hydrogen gas can catch fire, but if it is stored properly, it is probably
no more dangerous than gasoline.
However, processes that break compounds down to release hydro-
gen, such as electrolysis, require energy inputs. With the technology
now available, hydrogen fuel is expensive to produce. In addition, to
be useful in a motor vehicle, hydrogen needs to be compressed, or
squeezed into a smaller volume. Scientists are working on ways to do
this safely.
Reading Why are hydrogen-powered motor vehicles uncommon?
Checkpoint
Fuel Cells
Fuel cells are used to generate electricity.
Hydrogen gas can be used to produce electricity within fuel cells. The
chemical reaction that takes place in a fuel cell is the reverse of the
reaction for electrolysis. Two hydrogen molecules and an oxygen mol-
ecule combine to form two water molecules:
2 H2 + O2 2 H2O
Inside a Fuel Cell A fuel cell has a positive (+) electrode and a
negative () electrode, as you can see in Figure 24. Reactions in a fuel
cell result in an electric current flowing through a wire from one termi-
nal to the other.
The reactions produce
Hydrogen fuel, H2 electricity. Oxygen, O2
H2
Solution H
Negative Positive
electrode electrode
Water,
H2O
 FIGURE 25 Fuel Cell Bus The city
of Hamburg in Germany has buses
that run on energy obtained from
hydrogen.

Hydrogen gas enters the side of the cell with the negative electrode.
Each hydrogen molecule then splits into two positively charged hydro-
gen ions (H+). Meanwhile, oxygen gas enters the cell on the side with
the positive electrode. A series of reactions occurs that makes two things
happen. The reactions cause an electric current to flow from the negative
terminal to the positive terminal. As this is taking place, the oxygen and
hydrogen ions combine to form molecules of water. ANSWERS

Lesson 4 Assessment
How Fuel Cells Are Used Fuel cells can be used in many ways. They 1. CH4 + 2 H2O 4 H2 + CO2; the
provide power for moving vehicles. The city of Hamburg in Germany breakdown of methane produces
has buses powered by fuel cells as shown in Figure 25. In fact, vehicles carbon dioxide, which is a green-
ranging from cars to space vehicles use hydrogen fuel cells as an energy house gas.
source. However, such vehicles are uncommon. 2. Hydrogen gas is ionized; the
hydrogen ions combine with the
Fuel cells can supply power in places that are far from conventional
oxygen to produce water, and an
utility companies that produce electricity. Other technologies can be electric current is produced.
combined with fuel cells to accomplish this. One example is the system 3. Answers will vary, but should
built on Stuart Island in the state of Washington. There, solar power pro- reflect knowledge of safety issues
duces hydrogen, which is then used in fuel cells to produce electricity. of using hydrogen as a fuel.

4
1. Apply Concepts Write the equation for the reac-
tion in which hydrogen is obtained from methane.
Use this equation to explain why this method
of obtaining oxygen could contribute to global
climate change. (Hint: Look at the products of the
reaction.)
2. Explain Explain how electricity is produced inside
a fuel cell.
3. When hydrogen fuel
is ignited, the result can be a huge explosion that
causes enormous damage. Suppose you are on a
commission evaluating the safety of hydrogen fuel.
Your specific focus is transportation of hydrogen.
What safety measures would you recommend?
Think about issues such as the design of transpor-
tation vehicles, the routes they might take, and the
time of day during which the transportation would
take place.

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