An Overview on the Differences Between Atomic and Molecular Masses

The simplest member of the chemical family, hydrogen (H), is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, combustible gaseous substance. The nucleus of a hydrogen atom is made up of a proton, which has one unit of positive electrical charge, and an electron, which has one unit of negative electrical charge.

Hydrogen gas is a loose collection of hydrogen molecules, each comprising of a pair of atoms, a diatomic molecule, H2 under normal conditions. The fact that hydrogen burns with oxygen to generate water, H2O, is the first known important chemical feature of hydrogen; indeed, the name hydrogen is taken from Greek roots meaning “creator of water.”

Occurrence of hydrogen

Hydrogen is the most prevalent element in the universe, named after the Greek words hydro, which means water, and genes, which means to make. It is found as dihydrogen in its molecular form. It accounts for 70% of the entire mass of the cosmos. It is the most important component of the solar system. Large planets like Jupiter and Saturn are primarily made up of hydrogen. It accounts for 15.4 percent of the earth’s crust and seas when combined.

Properties of hydrogen

• It reacts with oxygen to generate water, which is essential for life on this planet.
• It has a high energy density per volume (almost three times that of gasoline), but at typical temperature and pressure, it has a low energy density per weight. The volumetric energy density of hydrogen can be improved by storing it under higher pressure or at cryogenic temperatures as a liquid.
• Hydrogen is extremely flammable, requiring only a minimal amount of energy to ignite and burn. It also has a wide flammability range, which means it can burn when it accounts for 4 to 74% of the air volume.
• Because hydrogen has a pale-blue, almost-invisible flame, hydrogen fires are difficult to spot.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter, and sulphur are not produced when hydrogen is burned. Under some circumstances, it can emit nitrous oxide (NOx).
• Hydrogen production can be done from renewable resources such as ethanol reformation (which produces carbon dioxide) and water electrolysis (electrolysis is very expensive).

Preparation of hydrogen

Laboratory method: This is a common method of hydrogen preparation. When granular zinc reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, hydrogen is generated. This is a step-by-step guide on making hydrogen. In addition, hydrogen can be made by reacting zinc with an aqueous alkali. By making this explicit, the next reaction clarifies it.

Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2 + H2

Zn+2NaOH→Na2ZnO2+H2

Granulated Zinc

Zinc granules are zinc metal particles with a large surface area and a small particle size. In the preparation of hydrogen, granulated zinc is favoured over metallic zinc because it has a greater surface area exposure to the acid, allowing the reaction to proceed more quickly. It’s also worth noting that granulated zinc is preferable to metallic zinc since granulated zinc contains copper impurities that act as a catalyst and speed up the process.

Hydrochloric acid

The water-based, or aquatic, solution of hydrogen chloride gas is known as hydrochloric acid. It’s also the major element of gastric acid, a digestive acid produced spontaneously in the human stomach. Hydrochloric acid is also manufactured synthetically for a variety of industrial and commercial uses, and can be made using a variety of methods, including dissolving hydrogen chloride gas in water.

Hydrochloric acid is a colourless, corrosive liquid with a strong odour. Because hydrochloric acid is a hydrogen chloride in water solution, the concentration of hydrogen chloride in water varies depending on the solution. As a result, various physical properties such as density, melting and boiling temperatures, and so on will be affected by the hydrogen chloride concentration in the aqueous solution.

Uses of hydrochloric acid

• Plastics such as PVC and polyurethane are manufactured with hydrochloric acid.
• Chlorine, glucose, and ammonium chloride are all made with it.
• It’s being used as a reagent in laboratories.
• It’s used in pharmaceuticals.
• The extraction of glue from bones is done with hydrochloric acid.
• It’s used in the dyeing process.
• It’s a material that’s used in the textile business.
• It’s used in the manufacture of cleaning goods.

Conclusion

The concentrated liquid form of hydrochloric acid has a strong unpleasant odour and is extremely corrosive. On touch, it can cause damage such as chemical burns. The mouth, throat, oesophagus, and stomach can all be severely injured by ingesting concentrated hydrochloric acid. When handling hydrochloric acid, personal protective equipment (PPE) such as vapour respirators, rubber gloves, splash goggles, and face shields should be worn.