One of our teachers wants to make a quantity of hydrogen gas that will fill a couple of balloons. Any ideas on the best way to do this?? Will we blow ourselves up??
Thanks in advance
Lorrae
Hydrogen Gas
-
rae
- Posts: 1045
- Joined: 31 May 2006, 10:00
- School: Oxley College
- Suburb: Burradoo
- State/Location: NSW
Hydrogen Gas
Hi,
One of our teachers wants to make a quantity of hydrogen gas that will fill a couple of balloons. Any ideas on the best way to do this?? Will we blow ourselves up??
Thanks in advance
Lorrae
One of our teachers wants to make a quantity of hydrogen gas that will fill a couple of balloons. Any ideas on the best way to do this?? Will we blow ourselves up??
Thanks in advance
Lorrae
Hydrogen Gas
Hi Lorrae,
The best way that we seem to get a good quantity of gas is to use 125mL Conical Flasks
Add Zinc metal pieces to the flask and Hydrochloric Acid to this.
The quantity of each can be varied to give optimum gas production, but a good guide is to add enough zinc to just cover the bottom of the flask and approx 75mL of 1M or 2M HCl.
Zinc metal is ideal to use because the reaction is constant and has a long duration. (Heating the HCl also increases the speed of the reaction).
immediately place a balloon over the opening and allow the balloon to inflate.
The lip of the flask will hold the balloon in place until it is time for it's removal.
The balloon will inflate to a small area but this will be suffice, as the ignition is quite large.
Make sure Lab coats are worn as it gives protection to arms and prevents any injury!
I hope all progresses well.
Robb.....
The best way that we seem to get a good quantity of gas is to use 125mL Conical Flasks
Add Zinc metal pieces to the flask and Hydrochloric Acid to this.
The quantity of each can be varied to give optimum gas production, but a good guide is to add enough zinc to just cover the bottom of the flask and approx 75mL of 1M or 2M HCl.
Zinc metal is ideal to use because the reaction is constant and has a long duration. (Heating the HCl also increases the speed of the reaction).
immediately place a balloon over the opening and allow the balloon to inflate.
The lip of the flask will hold the balloon in place until it is time for it's removal.
The balloon will inflate to a small area but this will be suffice, as the ignition is quite large.
Make sure Lab coats are worn as it gives protection to arms and prevents any injury!
I hope all progresses well.
Robb.....
Dr Robert Crosdale. MRACI. NSS. NSSA. NASA.
Ph.D (Chem), Post Grad Ph.D (Physics), M.Ed, B.Sc (Hons), Dip. Appl. Sc. (Chem)
Lake Munmorah High School.
University of New England.
University of New South Wales.
University of Newcastle.
To understand the Universe from our perspective, we need to look towards our own backyard first for answers.
** AD ASTRA PER ASPERA - SEMPER EXPLORO **
Ph.D (Chem), Post Grad Ph.D (Physics), M.Ed, B.Sc (Hons), Dip. Appl. Sc. (Chem)
Lake Munmorah High School.
University of New England.
University of New South Wales.
University of Newcastle.
To understand the Universe from our perspective, we need to look towards our own backyard first for answers.
** AD ASTRA PER ASPERA - SEMPER EXPLORO **
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Ocean Breeze
- Posts: 798
- Joined: 01 Jun 2006, 10:00
- Job Title: Lab Manager
- State/Location: NSW
Hydrogen Gas
I attended an excursion at UNE in Armidale where they demonstrated hydrogen balloons exploding. Very spectacular and LOUD! Another fun demonstration involved bubbling the hydrogen through a detergent solution. The resulting bubbles are then lifted off using a spoon and placed into a candle flame. The popping noise it makes is much easier on the ears. and creates a small flash easily visible in a dark room.
I tried it in the prep room and it worked beautifully.
Julie
I tried it in the prep room and it worked beautifully.
Julie
Been doing it for years. A couple of tricks is to blow the balloon up first to streach it and I alway use zinc and 50/50 HCl which is a mixture of half Dil HCl (2M) and half Conc HCl. It works better than just Conc HCl because of the extra water molecules available. Gets hot so needs to be on a mat, let it bubble away to make sure all the air is removed from the flask, tie the balloon using cotton to the front tap as it should float and then I use a splint taped to a meter ruler with the lights out and every one standing back 5 meters at least. BANG !!!
Last edited by mitch2 on 22 Sep 2006, 12:54, edited 4 times in total.
making hydrogen gas used to break my heart until a maths teacher gave me this recipe
large 2L side arm flask with stopper
diggers caustic soda 1/2 cup
black and gold alfoil 1 metre
rubber tubing 1 metre
bucket filled with cold water
balloon
place caustic soda in flask add 800ml cold water allow to cool 1/2 hr
fit the tube to side arm of flask and run the through bucket of cold water. fit balloon tightly to end of tube
tear up 1/2 of the alfoil into small pieces and screw up a bit leave the rest loose
this allows a gradual reaction
drop all the foil in, after a second or 2 put the stopper on and hold down
you'll get one balloon easily
to light the balloon tape 3 matches on the end of a metre ruler
and light
kaboom!
the students nearly wet themselves
hope this helps
Kathy
large 2L side arm flask with stopper
diggers caustic soda 1/2 cup
black and gold alfoil 1 metre
rubber tubing 1 metre
bucket filled with cold water
balloon
place caustic soda in flask add 800ml cold water allow to cool 1/2 hr
fit the tube to side arm of flask and run the through bucket of cold water. fit balloon tightly to end of tube
tear up 1/2 of the alfoil into small pieces and screw up a bit leave the rest loose
this allows a gradual reaction
drop all the foil in, after a second or 2 put the stopper on and hold down
you'll get one balloon easily
to light the balloon tape 3 matches on the end of a metre ruler
and light
kaboom!
the students nearly wet themselves
hope this helps
Kathy
