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Hydrogen and Oxygen Generating, Collecting, & Testing

Hydrogen is a clear, colorless gas which is said to be combustible, meaning that it can burn quite readily. Oxygen is also a clear, colorless gas that is said to support combustion, meaning that it must be present for combustible materials to burn. In this lab, you will be generating, collecting, and testing hydrogen and oxygen gas. Hydrochloric acid is reacted with zinc to generate the hydrogen. (In general, any strong acid and almost any metal reacts to produce hydrogen.) Hydrogen peroxide is added to manganese metal to generate the oxygen. (Hydrogen peroxide decomposes by itself to produce water and oxygen at a slow, imperceptible rate; the manganese oxide rust which coats the manganese metal acts as a catalyst to speed up this reaction.) By collecting and pop-testing (igniting) different hydrogen/oxygen mixtures, you will audibly compare them to determine the most reactive (loudest) mixture. Because this lab is performed on the microscale level, the explosions, though potentially loud, are completely safe. On the other hand, the two solutions used in this lab, hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), can cause serious damage should they come in contact with your eyes. Materials 250 mL beaker (1) 10 mL graduated cylinder (1) small test tube labeled H2 generator, 1/6 full of Candle zinc (1) Lighter from me small test tube labeled O2 generator, 1/6 full of 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) manganese (1) 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) 1-hole rubber stoppers with 1" nozzles (nozzles Permanent marker (1) are cut from the tips of graduated pipets) (2) tap water cut-off graduated pipet or super jumbo pipet (1) Procedure: Caution: Put on your goggles and apron now!! Record all observations 1. Fill the beaker 3/4 full with tap water. This will act as a test tube holder, a temperature regulator, and a water reserve during the experiment. 2. Using the graduated cylinder and the pen, mark the cut-off jumbo pipet to show six equalvolume increments. This cut-off pipet will be referred to as the collection bulb (see figure below). 3. Light a candle. 4. The test tube labeled H2 generator contains several pieces of zinc metal and is topped with a 1-hole stopper (with nozzle). Remove the stopper. Using the full length graduated pipet, add enough 1 M HCl to fill the test tube to within 2 cm of the top. Replace the stopper and set the generator in the beaker of water. Wait 5 seconds before beginning the next step. 5. Fill the collection bulb completely full of water. Place the end of the pipet over the end of the generator and collect the hydrogen gas. 6. Once the collection bulb is filled with gas, hold it horizontally with its mouth roughly 1 cm from the mid-section of the flame. Avoid putting the bulb directly in the flame. It will melt and possibly burn. Should this happen, quench the tip in the beaker of water and obtain a new bulb from the instructor. Gently squeeze a very small portion of the contents of the bulb into the flame and observe. Repeat. 7. Repeat steps #4 through #6, generating, collecting, and testing oxygen this time. There are two important differences to keep in mind. First, the test tube labeled O2 generator does not contain zinc; it contains pieces of manganese metal (with an oxide coating, MnO2). Second, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), not HCl, will be added to the test tube. 8. While generating both gases side by side, collect and test all different possible ratios of hydrogen and oxygen. Be as consistent as possible each time. If either of the two reactions should slow down too much, simply remove the stopper, carefully decant (pour off) the remaining liquid into the sink, and replace it

GasLaws Name: ______________________________Page 2 of 2 with some fresh solution from the appropriate stock bottle. Replace the stopper; wait 5 seconds and resume collecting the gas. 9. Create a bar graph that shows, in a logical fashion, the relative loudness of each of the samples that you tested (including the pure hydrogen and oxygen). 15 pts 10. Collect the optimum mixture one more time. Instead of pop-testing it with the flame, take it to the rocket launch pad and have the instructor supply the activation energy with a Tesla coil. Can you think of ways to make your rocket go farther? Try them! What ratio of hydrogen, oxygen, and water produces the greatest distance when the rocket is launched? 11. Dispose of the liquid down the drain. Try to reserve the solids for the next person. Questions (No Formal Lab Report): 3 pts each 1. Write a balanced equation for the reaction taking place inside the hydrogen generator. 2. Write a balanced equation for the reaction taking place inside the oxygen generator. 3. Define and explain the roll of catalysts. 4. Which do you think will have to be replaced first: the zinc in the hydrogen generator or the manganese in the oxygen generator? Explain. 5. There are two reasons for filling the generators up so full. What are they 6. Explain your observations for the pop-test of pure hydrogen. 7. Explain your observations for the pop-test of pure oxygen. 8. Did you find any mixtures that produced no reaction at all? Explain how that could happen.
9.

What proportion of hydrogen and oxygen produced the most explosive mixture? Why was that mixture most explosive? (Think about volume to volume ration.)

10. Write a balanced equation for the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. 11. Why dont the hydrogen and oxygen in the collection bulb react as soon as they mix? What role does the flame play? 12. If a small spark is needed to supply the activation energy for a small bulb of hydrogen-oxygen mixture, how could the same small spark also act to supply the activation energy for an entire room-full of the mixture? In other words, why does one not have to use a proportionately larger amount of energy to spark a proportionately larger volume of hydrogen and oxygen? (Discuss Activation Energy)