What is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a highly flammable chemical element which occurs in great abundance throughout the universe. In fact, hydrogen makes up approximately 75% of the universe, by volume, and it appears in a very large number of compounds, especially those which make up various organic materials. Many people are familiar with hydrogen as a potential fuel source, thanks to its promotion as a potential alternative fuel, and all of us consume hydrogen every day, in the water we drink and the foods we eat. The atomic number of hydrogen is one, and it is identified by the symbol H on the periodic table. Hydrogen is a unique standalone element, not classified with any other elements. Many scientists think of hydrogen as a kind of elemental building block, since its simple structure is the basis of so many things. The colorless, highly flammable gas has a number of industrial uses, especially in the refining of petroleum products. The history of the discovery of hydrogen is quite lengthy. Like other ga
Hydrogen is the simplest element known to man. Each atom of hydrogen has only one proton. It is also the most plentiful gas in the universe. Stars are made primarily of hydrogen. The sun is basically a giant ball of hydrogen and helium gases. In the sun’s core, hydrogen atoms combine to form helium atoms. This processcalled fusiongives off radiant energy. This radiant energy sustains life on earth. It gives us light and makes plants grow. It makes the wind blow and rain fall. It is stored as chemical energy in fossil fuels. Most of the energy we use today came from the sun’s radiant energy. Hydrogen gas is lighter than air and, as a result, it rises in the atmosphere. This is why hydrogen as a gas (H2) is not found by itself on earth. It is found only in compound form with other elements. Hydrogen combined with oxygen, is water (H2O). Hydrogen combined with carbon, forms different compounds such as methane (CH4), coal, and petroleum. Hydrogen is also found in all growing thingsbiomass.
