Hydrogen - Periodic Table of Videos

Summary

In this engaging video, the experimenters revisit a classic scientific demonstration by inflating a large hydrogen-filled balloon outdoors. They explain the properties of hydrogen, the simplest atom, and its reaction with oxygen, which forms water and releases heat, leading to an explosive chain reaction. Using an electric match, they ignite the balloon, resulting in a dramatic explosion. The video also touches on the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy source through nuclear fusion, highlighting the difference between hydrogen and its heavier isotope, deuterium, which can be used in fusion reactions to produce helium and a significant amount of energy.

Takeaways

• 🧪 The experiment involves inflating a large balloon with hydrogen gas and igniting it to demonstrate a rapid chemical reaction.
• 🔬 Hydrogen is the simplest atom, consisting of a proton and an electron, and is important for its role in various reactions.
• 🔥 The reaction between hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) forms water (H2O) and generates a lot of heat, leading to an explosive reaction.
• 💥 The experiment aims to show how a slow reaction can escalate into a runaway reaction, resulting in an explosion.
• ⚡ An electric match is used to ignite the hydrogen, which is a safer method than using a traditional match or open flame.
• 🚫 Hydrogen is associated with major disasters like the Chernobyl reactor and the space shuttle explosion due to its explosive potential.
• 🌡 The activation energy required to start the hydrogen-oxygen reaction is provided by the heat from the electric match.
• 🎈 The balloon bursts due to the pressure increase from the expanding gas caused by the exothermic reaction.
• 👂 The noise heard during the explosion is a result of the rapid pressure rise, which sends a pressure wave through the air.
• 🔍 The color seen in the fireball might be due to the burning of the balloon material or impurities in the gas, not the hydrogen-oxygen flame itself.
• 🌌 Deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen with a neutron, can undergo nuclear fusion at extremely high temperatures to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy.
• 💡 There is potential for nuclear fusion of deuterium to solve the world's energy crisis by producing energy cleanly and efficiently.

Q & A

What experiment are they planning to repeat in the script?

They are planning to repeat an experiment involving a balloon filled with hydrogen and an electric match to create a reaction with oxygen, leading to an explosion.

Why did they decide to conduct the experiment outdoors?

They decided to conduct the experiment outdoors because of the potential for a larger explosion, which is safer to do in an open area.

What is the simplest atom and why is it important in the context of the experiment?

The simplest atom is hydrogen, which is important because it consists of a positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron, and it reacts with oxygen to form water, releasing a lot of heat in the process.

What is an electric match and why is it used in this experiment?

An electric match is a device that produces a spark to ignite a substance. It is used in this experiment to ignite the hydrogen and cause the reaction with oxygen.

What happens when hydrogen reacts with oxygen?

When hydrogen reacts with oxygen, it forms water (H2O) and releases a lot of heat. This heat can cause the reaction to accelerate, leading to an explosion.

Why do they use a larger balloon for the hydrogen in this experiment?

They use a larger balloon to contain more hydrogen, which will result in a more dramatic reaction and explosion when ignited.

What is the role of the detonator box in the experiment?

The detonator box is used to control the electric match, allowing them to ignite the hydrogen-filled balloon remotely and safely.

What is activation energy and how does it relate to the hydrogen and oxygen reaction?

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction. In the case of hydrogen and oxygen, the reaction starts slowly but once initiated, it generates more heat than was initially required to start it, leading to a rapid increase in temperature and an explosion.

Why do they hear a noise when the hydrogen and oxygen react?

The noise is caused by a rapid rise in pressure from the exothermic reaction, which sends a pressure wave through the air that can be heard as a loud bang.

What might be causing the color seen in the fireball during the explosion?

The color might be caused by the burning balloon material, which contains carbon and produces a flame similar to that of a candle. Alternatively, it could be due to impurities in the gas.

What is deuterium and how is it related to hydrogen?

Deuterium is a heavier isotope of hydrogen that contains a proton, a neutron, and an electron. It can undergo nuclear fusion at extremely high temperatures to form helium, which is a process that releases a lot of energy and is the basis for hydrogen bombs and potential clean energy solutions.

Why is there hope that nuclear fusion of deuterium could solve the world's energy crisis?

Nuclear fusion of deuterium to form helium is a process that releases a tremendous amount of energy. If controlled and harnessed properly, it could provide a clean and virtually limitless source of energy, potentially solving the world's energy crisis.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Hydrogen Balloon Explosion Experiment

The script describes an experiment involving a large hydrogen-filled balloon and an electric match. The purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which forms water and releases a significant amount of heat, leading to an explosion. The balloon is filled with hydrogen, and an electric match is attached to it. The experimenters discuss the activation energy required for the reaction to begin and the rapid increase in temperature and pressure that causes the explosion. They also mention historical incidents where hydrogen and oxygen explosions caused catastrophic events, such as the Chernobyl reactor and the space shuttle disaster. The experiment concludes with the ignition of the hydrogen balloon, resulting in a loud explosion and a fireball, with the color possibly being due to the burning balloon material or impurities in the gas.

05:01

🌌 Deuterium Fusion and Energy Potential

This paragraph delves into the topic of nuclear fusion, specifically focusing on deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen that contains a proton, a neutron, and an electron. The script explains that when two molecules of deuterium fuse, they form an atom of helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the process. This reaction is the principle behind hydrogen bombs, which are significantly more powerful than atomic bombs and require extremely high temperatures to initiate. The potential of harnessing nuclear fusion for clean energy is highlighted, with the hope that it could resolve the world's energy crisis. The script also humorously notes the similarity in properties between deuterium and hydrogen, suggesting that a deuterium balloon would still float, and ends with a playful banter about the impossibility of fusing the balloon for an explosion.

Keywords

💡Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe, consisting of one proton and one electron. In the video, it is used to fill a balloon and demonstrate a chemical reaction with oxygen, leading to an explosion. Hydrogen's role in the video underscores its reactivity and potential energy, which is also highlighted in the context of nuclear fusion as a clean energy source.

💡Balloon

A balloon in this context is an inflatable object made of rubber or similar material, used to contain hydrogen gas. The balloon serves as a vessel to demonstrate the properties of hydrogen, such as its lighter-than-air nature and its reactivity with oxygen when ignited, as shown when the balloon bursts and the hydrogen reacts explosively.

💡Oxygen

Oxygen is a chemical element essential for combustion and respiration. In the video, it is the reactant that combines with hydrogen to form water (H2O) during the explosion. The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is exothermic, releasing a significant amount of heat and energy, which is central to the video's demonstration of an explosive reaction.

💡Explosion

An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner. In the video, the explosion is the result of the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which generates heat and causes a rapid expansion of gases. The script describes the process leading to the explosion, emphasizing the runaway reaction and the heat generated.

💡Activation Energy

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of hydrogen and oxygen reacting. The script explains that a certain amount of energy is needed to initiate the reaction, after which the reaction becomes self-sustaining due to the heat generated.

💡Electric Match

An electric match is a device used to ignite a substance remotely, often used in pyrotechnics. In the video, it is used to ignite the hydrogen-filled balloon, causing the hydrogen and oxygen to react violently. The electric match is a key tool in demonstrating the explosive potential of hydrogen.

💡Deuterium

Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen with one proton, one neutron, and one electron. The video discusses deuterium in the context of nuclear fusion, where two deuterium atoms can fuse under extremely high temperatures to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy. This process is foundational to the concept of clean energy production via nuclear fusion.

💡Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction where atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy. The video mentions nuclear fusion in the context of deuterium, suggesting that it could be a solution to the world's energy crisis by producing energy cleanly and efficiently.

💡Pressure Wave

A pressure wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium, such as air, resulting from a rapid change in pressure. In the video, the explosion of the hydrogen balloon generates a pressure wave that travels through the air and is perceived as a loud noise, either by the human ear or a microphone.

💡Reactor

A reactor is a device or structure in which a nuclear reaction, such as fission or fusion, occurs. The video script references the Chernobyl reactor and the space shuttle explosion as examples of hydrogen-oxygen explosions. It also humorously mentions the idea of fusing deuterium in a reactor, which is beyond the scope of the experiment.

💡Temperature

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. In the video, temperature is crucial for the hydrogen-oxygen reaction; the script explains that the reaction requires an initial input of energy (activation energy) and that as the reaction progresses, the temperature increases, accelerating the reaction and leading to the explosion.

Highlights

Experiment to replicate a previous hydrogen balloon explosion.

Hydrogen is the simplest atom with a proton and an electron.

Use of an electric match to ignite hydrogen.

Balloon tension as a sign of hydrogen-oxygen reaction.

Chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen leading to an explosion.

Activation energy required to start the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.

Explosions in the 20th century caused by hydrogen and oxygen.

Detonating hydrogen-filled balloon with an electric match.

Hydrogen's temperature needs to be higher than air for reaction.

Pressure wave and noise generation during the explosion.

Possible cause of color in the explosion.

Potential of nuclear fusion of deuterium for clean energy.

Deuterium as a heavier form of hydrogen for nuclear fusion.

Deuterium's properties and its potential for energy production.

Humor about handling deuterium balloons.

Mishaps with handling hydrogen balloons.

Transcripts

So, we’re braving the elements Brady, to repeat the experiment that we did quite some

time ago, so you will remember that we had a very small balloon of hydrogen

Match on a stick to hydrogen, big bang coming!

Are you ready?

Yep!

Here we go!

And the fact that we’ve come outside, might actually give you an idea of what we are going

to do, cause we are going to make it a little bit bigger, so let’s go and fill a balloon.

Alright, cool.

Well, hydrogen, I think is very important because, it is the simplest atom, it’s the

atom, consists of a positively charged proton which is relatively large and a negatively

charged electron, that goes round it.

Electric match?

I think an electric match will go well on that.

Yep.

Oh, look at the tension on the balloon!

Hold it, I’ve really gone for it and blown that one up.

The tension!

What happens is that hydrogen is reacting with oxygen and H2 plus O2 reacts to form

H2O and an oxygen atom and then that oxygen atom goes on to react with another hydrogen

molecule to make more water and the reaction generates a lot of heat and that heat, heats

up more gas to make it react faster, so you generate more and more heat, so the reaction

that begins quite slowly with the first few molecules, runs away and that is why you get

the explosion.

So here we have a rather large balloon of hydrogen, Neil is just preparing our electric

match which we are going to attach to the side of this balloon.

And some of the biggest explosions in the 20th century, the Chernobyl reactor, the space

shuttle that blew up when it was taking off, were in fact explosions caused by hydrogen

and oxygen.

So we’ve filled up a balloon of hydrogen, and I think if you look at the hydrogen balloon

you will see that it is slightly larger than those we have attempted before. Now we are

going to try to detonate it or burn the hydrogen, in the air by giving it a match and the match

we are going to use is again an electric match, which is connected to our detonator box.

If you stick a pin in the balloon, the balloon will burst because the rubber will break,

but the hydrogen will come out and it won’t react with the oxygen because the hydrogen

is cool, it’s at the same temperature as the air, but the reaction of hydrogen and

oxygen like many reactions involves so called activation energy, you have to put in a certain

amount of energy to get it going. But once you get it going, you get more heat coming

out, than you put in to start it off.

So, let’s arm the circuit, 5-4-3-2-1.

That was more like it.

Lovely!

When Pete puts the match to the balloon, first of all the match burns a hole in the balloon,

and then the heat gets the hydrogen and oxygen near the outside of the balloon and they start

reacting and the heat then spreads through the volume of the hydrogen and oxygen, faster

probably than the balloon is bursting and as it spreads through the temperature builds

up and up and up because you are generating so much heat.

The reason that you hear a noise, is because, it causes a rise in pressure which sends a

pressure wave out through the air and it hits your ears or the microphone on your camera.

I honestly don’t know why you see any colour. I suspect that the colour may actually be

caused by the burning balloon which contains carbon and is really like the flame on a candle.

Because normally when you have a hydrogen/oxygen flame you don’t see any colour at all. Alternatively,

it may be some impurities in the gas, but I suspect that what you are seeing in the

fire ball is just the burning of the balloon. The other thing which is really quite exciting

about hydrogen is that in principle if you heat hydrogen to really high temperatures,

you can get two hydrogen atoms to fuse together, or rather, it will not work with hydrogen,

but it will work with a heavier form of hydrogen which is know as deuterium where instead of

a proton and an electron, you have a proton and a neutron, which is a neutral particle,

and an electron, and two molecules of deuterium can fuse together to make one atom of helium

which has two protons, two neutrons, and two electrons and this produces a lot of energy.

It is the basis of the so-called hydrogen bombs, which are like super atomic bombs,

but which require an enormously high temperature to get the reaction to go.

You can probably hear it hitting and fizzing into the bottle there.

There is great hope that in the end much of the world’s energy crisis can be solved

by doing this so called nuclear fusion of deuterium to make helium which would produce

energy extremely cleanly.

So here, we’ll just tie it off, if my Welsh hands can actually tie a knot on a balloon,

‘cause, you know we are all a little bit bizarre.

Deuterium gas, in all its properties, will be very similar to that of hydrogen, of course

it is denser, because it has a neutron as well as a proton but it is still much lighter

than air so a deuterium balloon will still float up to the ceiling and make Pete look

just as stupid as the hydrogen one.

You’ve got to keep hold of it.

Or you lose it

Or you lose it, you know!

I was thinking more of fusing it, that sounds like a really big explosion we could do out

the back.

No! Fusing reactors are way beyond what Pete can do unless he is a lot cleverer than I

think.

I got a balloon! I had a balloon of hydrogen!

That is the second time you have done that!

Now it’s going to go up there eventually anyway!