Question

In which of the following industrial methods or processes, hydrogen gas is used?

• A. Fuel cells
• B. Production of methanol
• C. Reduction of metal oxides into metal
• D. Hydrochloric acid production

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (C), (D)

Hydrochloric acid production

Fuel cells are used in rockets and satellites. In fuel cells, the exothermic reaction between oxygen gas and hydrogen gas is controlled and the heat produced in the reaction is converted into electrical energy by the use of an acidic or a basic electrolyte.

Hydrogen is used to manufacture methanol. Carbon monoxide reacts with hydrogen gas to produce methanol in the presence of a catalyst.
$\mathrm{CO}\left(g\right)+2H_2\left(g\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{catalyst}}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{OH}\left(l\right)$

In metallurgy hydrogen gas is widely used to convert metal oxides into metal by reduction.

Hydrogen gas can react with halogens to produce hydrogen halides. This property of hydrogen gas is very useful in the production of hydrochloric acid.