Hydrogen
hideHydrogen (pronounced /ˈhaɪdrədʒən/) is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas with the molecular formula H2. With an atomic weight of 1.00794 u, hydrogen is the lightest element.
Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the universe's elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly composed of hydrogen in its plasma state. Elemental hydrogen is relatively rare on Earth. Industrial production is from hydrocarbons such as methane with most being used "captively" at the production site. The two largest uses are in fossil fuel processing (e.g., hydrocracking) and ammonia production mostly for the fertilizer market. Hydrogen may be produced from water by electrolysis at substantially greater cost than production from natural gas.
The most common isotope of hydrogen is protium (name rarely used, symbol H) with a single proton and no neutrons. In ionic compounds it can take a negative charge (an anion known as a hydride and written as H−), or as a positively-charged species H+. The latter cation is written as though composed of a bare proton, but in reality, hydrogen cations in ionic compounds always occur as more complex species. Hydrogen forms compounds with most elements and is present in water and most organic compounds. It plays a particularly important role in acid-base chemistry with many reactions exchanging protons between soluble molecules. As the only neutral atom with an analytic solution to the Schrödinger equation, the study of the energetics and bonding of the hydrogen atom played a key role in the development of quantum mechanics.
Hydrogen is important in metallurgy as it can embrittle many metals, complicating the design of pipelines and storage tanks. Hydrogen is highly soluble in many rare earth and transition metals and is soluble in both nanocrystalline and amorphous metals. Hydrogen solubility in metals is influenced by local distortions or impurities in the crystal lattice.
For more information about Hydrogen, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with hydrogen gas
WISE Is Chilling Out
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 11, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers are busy cooling the science instrument on NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The spacecraft is scheduled to blast into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in ...
The Ring Nebula
Nov 02, 2009 |
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The diversity of colours, shapes, and sizes of planetary nebulae make them fascinating objects. In this photo release Calar Alto presents a rather unique view combining both optical and near-infrared data ...
For Future Superconductors, a Little Bit of Lithium May Do Hydrogen a Lot of Good
Oct 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have a long and unsuccessful history of attempting to convert hydrogen to a metal by squeezing it under incredibly high and steady pressures.
CSIRO sets science path for new telescope
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 09, 2009 |
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CSIRO has chosen the major science projects that its Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope will tackle in its first five years.
Researchers explain the activity of black holes at the centre of galaxy clusters
Sep 04, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers at the University of Bonn have clarified the connection between black holes at the centre of galaxy clusters and surrounding gas, which serves them as "food". The scientists have ...
Star-birth myth 'busted' (w/ Podcast)
Aug 25, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of researchers has debunked one of astronomy's long held beliefs about how stars are formed, using a set of galaxies found with CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope.
Space shuttle blasts off after month's delay
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 15, 2009 |
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(AP) -- After more than a month's delay, space shuttle Endeavour and seven astronauts thundered into orbit Wednesday on a flight to the international space station, hauling up a veranda for Japan's enormous ...
Thunderstorms cause 5th delay for space shuttle
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 13, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Thunderstorms once again forced NASA to call off the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on Monday, the fifth delay for the space station construction mission.
More storms threaten Monday shuttle launch attempt
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 13, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
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(AP) -- Thunderstorms once again forced NASA to call off the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on Monday, the fifth delay for the space station construction mission.
NASA sails through countdown, weather outlook poor
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 09, 2009 |
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(AP) -- NASA is sailing through the countdown for Saturday's launch of space shuttle Endeavour, with weather the lone concern.
Stormy weather could stall weekend shuttle launch
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 08, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Stormy weather could stall this weekend's launch of space shuttle Endeavour.
NASA plans fueling test for space shuttle
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jun 24, 2009 |
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(AP) -- NASA will conduct a fueling test next week on space shuttle Endeavour to see if a hydrogen gas leak has been plugged.
Galaxies coming of age in cosmic blobs
Jun 24, 2009 |
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The "coming of age" of galaxies and black holes has been pinpointed, thanks to new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes. This discovery helps resolve the true nature of gigantic ...
NASA uncovers cause of shuttle delay
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jun 23, 2009 |
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Engineers from the US space agency NASA think they have discovered the cause of a hydrogen leak which twice delayed a high-profile shuttle launch this month, according to the agency.
A new class of dim supernovae
Jun 05, 2009 |
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The colossal stellar explosions called supernovae come in many kinds and flavours. Some of them are produced when a massive star reaches the end of its life in a sudden gravitational collapse. Astronomers ...
