Benefits Of Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells are a source of alternative energy. With no negative effects on the environment, they could become extremely popular. A hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to create water and energy. These simple energy source’s only drawback is how explosive the hydrogen gas inside is. Discussing with corporate manager, Andrew Dicks, we look into possible solutions and benefits for hydrogen fuel cells.

Hydrogen fuel cells are an alternative source of energy. Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen fuel cells have no direct negative effects on the environment. A hydrogen fuel cell works by combining hydrogen molecules with oxygen molecules to produce water and energy. A catalyst, like platinum, splits the hydrogen molecules into protons and neutrons to combine with the oxygen. The hydrogen molecules are fed through an anode, while the oxygen molecules are fed through a cathode. The molecules combine in a central chamber to form water. The water is released from the top of the chamber, and the energy is released from the bottom.

The type of reaction that occurs within a hydrogen fuel cell is and oxidation-reduction reaction. The reaction produces electricity by oxidizing hydrogen at the anode and reducing oxygen at a cathode. The hydrogen and oxygen molecules combine to form water. The electrical current (P+) is produced by a catalyst. The oxidation reaction is: 2H2→4H+ + 4e-. The reduction reaction is: 4H+ + O2 + 4e- → 2H2O. A process that does the exact opposite thing as a hydrogen fuel cell is electrolysis. Electrolysis splits water into hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules. The process works by using electricity to split apart the water molecule. The reaction is: H2O → H2 + ½ O2.

Water is very importa...

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...ative effects of hydrogen fuels. One solution that was discussed was for the explosion possibility. If the hydrogen fuel cells in car were safer, it would completely any threat to lives by fuel cell. If this was not a possibility, hydrogen fuel cells would go out of stock all over the world. This could help restore the environment by not using fossil fuels, and could save millions of dollars on foreign gas policies.

In review, hydrogen fuel cells are a promising source of alternative energy. With little to no environmental drawbacks, and very few safety problems they are reliable as a means to power the future. Mr. Andrew Dicks explained that they are a valuable form of alternative energy, and discussed possible solutions to the few problems hydrogen fuel cells pose. Now only time can tell if hydrogen fuel cells will take over as the leading source of energy.