DivideByZero Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 The electrolysis of water is formed by producing an electric current through water that causes the reaction: [math]H_{2}O (l)[/math] ---> [math]H_{2}(g) + O_{2}(g)[/math]. When water is heated, the following occurs: [math]H_{2}O (l)[/math] ---> [math]H_{2}O (g)[/math] It turns into vapor. Doesn't electricity product heat? So shouldn't that heat evaporate the water instead of decomposing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 It's not boiling the water. Take a look at the Wikipedia article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DivideByZero Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 Is electrolysis the only method to decompose water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Is electrolysis the only method to decompose water? If you want both components, you should be able to bombard it with light of sufficient energy and form the constituents. This is known as photolysis, and may include (or require) some other chemicals to occur efficiently. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004APS..MAR.m1005G http://www.jstor.org/pss/36610 If you want just one component then a material that bonds more strongly with the other will suffice, e.g. Aluminum reacts with water to form an oxide and H2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now