Hydrogen Atom
The hydrogen atom is the simplest atom that can possibly exist. Its most common isotope is composed of a single proton and an electron. If you take away either of these parts, you no longer have an atom at all.
There is relatively little hydrogen gas in the earth's atmosphere, but there are plenty of hydrogen atoms showing up in hydrogen compounds such as water, for instance.
The most abundant chemical element
Consider that every molecule of water in all the seas, lakes, and streams includes two hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen makes the list of the ten most abundant elements on the earth.
Uses of Hydrogen
Nearly two-thirds of the hydrogen that are commercially produced today is used in the Haber process for manufacturing ammonia. The food industry also consumes a lot of hydrogen for hydrogenating simple vegetable oils. The end products including margarine, cooking oil, and salad dressings, are much healthier for you than their counterparts traditionally produced from animal fats. Finally, a small amount of elemental hydrogen is used in liquid form as rocket fuel.
Hydrogen Properties
Hydrogen is chemically unique in a number of ways. Among these unique features is Hydrogen 's ability to form compounds by giving up an electron or acquiring one. Elements that give up electrons to form compounds are considered electropositive and appear at the left side of the periodic chart of the elements.
On the other hand, elements that gain electrons to form compounds are called electronegative elements and appear near the righthand side of the periodic chart.
The unique property of Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the one and the only element that can do both; Hydrogen can be placed in Group IA (electropositive) or Group VIIA (electronegative). No other element has an ambiguous position on the periodic chart. Most periodic charts show hydrogen in its IA position. A few show Hydrogen in the VIIA position as well.
Diatomic
Hydrogen tends to be diatomic. This means the molecules are composed of two atoms; therefore, the gas is represented symbolically as H2.
Two types of Hydrogen molecules
There are two types of H2 molecules, ortho-hydrogen, and para-hydrogen.
- In the ortho hydrogen molecule, the two protons spin in the same plane;
- In the para-hydrogen molecule, the spins are in the opposite planes.
This affects the magnetic properties and electronic band spectra of the molecules. In ordinary hydrogen gas and normal environmental temperatures, the ratio of ortho- to para-hydrogen is 3:1. The portions are roughly equivalent at - 200°C, and the amount of para-hydrogen approaches 100% as the temperature nears absolute zero.
Hydrides
What are Hydrides?
Hydrides are compounds composed of two different elements, one of them being hydrogen. The following summary is brief and hardly begins to indicate the extent of the world of hydrides. For instance, there are thousands of carbon-hydrogen hydrides.
Methane
Methane (CH4), for one, is the elemental building block for the entire world of hydrocarbon chemistry. This colorless, odorless gas is also the primary constituent of ordinary natural gas, sometimes called swamp gas. (This name comes from the fact that methane is a natural byproduct of decaying vegetation.)
As a popular household, commercial, and industrial heating fuel, natural gas is a significant economic commodity. As described earlier in this chapter, methane is also the primary ingredient in the commercial production of hydrogen.
Ethane
A close cousin of methane is ethane, C2H6. It is also a colorless, odorless gas. Ethane is a common ingredient in natural gas, so much of it is used as heating fuel. It is also used in the petrochemical industry as a base for many kinds of plastics.
Butane
Butane gas, C4H10, is also colorless, odorless, and highly volatile. This hydrocarbon has two forms or isomers. In the instance where the four carbon atoms are connected in a straight chain, the gas is called n-butane, or normal-butane. Its isomer, one where the same four carbon atoms comprise a branched-chain, is called isobutane.
Ammonia
Ammonia, NH3, is a colorless gas that has a distinctive choking odor. It is widely used as a solvent, a refrigerant, and a source of nitrates for chemical fertilizers.
Phosphine
Phosphine, PH3, is an extremely poisonous gas that has a choking, garlic odor. Current applications include manufacturing processes for certain classes of plastics and flame-resistant cotton fabrics.
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