Question

List any four uses of hydrogen gas.

Answer 1

Hydrogen:

• Hydrogen is a chemical element having an atomic number equal to one.
• It was discovered by Henry Cavendish.
• It is a gas with no colour and odour and has the lowest density of all gases.
• It is a highly inflammable gas.
• It exists in the diatomic form in nature so 2 atoms of hydrogen make one molecule of H₂.

Uses of Hydrogen:

• Hydrogen is used in the synthesis of ammonia (${\mathrm{NH}}_3$) and the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers.
• It is used in the manufacture of many organic compounds, for example, methanol (${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{OH}$).
• By the process of hydrogenation vegetable oils that have long unsaturated carbon chains are converted into saturated fatty acids that are vegetable ghee.
• Hydrogen is used as rocket fuel in many space research activities.