Hydrogen
Hydrogen is used in many different ways in industry and in the space program. Liquid hydrogen is used to power the Space Shuttle into space.
When a metal, such as zinc, reacts with an acid, hydrogen gas is produced. Click to see a 120 kb video of zinc reacting with hydrochloric acid according to the equation below.
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) => ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
Hydrogen is a very important gas for the production of ammonia in a process called the Haber process. Hydrogen reacts with nitrogen to form ammonia according to the equation below.
3H2(g) + N2(g) => 2NH3(g)
Properties of hydrogen gas
| Is explosive | Click to see a 120 kb video. The video shows the hydrogen pop test. |
| Odourless and colourless. | |
| Hydrogen is lighter than air and was used with limited success in giant airships as shown on the right. |  |