How To Water and acetic acid are used to prepare Hydrogen and Oxygen.
Water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen.If you separate the water into its components, you can prove this to yourself.The most common technique to separate water is electrolysis.acetic acid doesn't promote electrolysis enough to generate a noticeable amount of gas.You can show this to yourself by using baking soda and acetic acid.The amount of gas produced by electrolysis with baking soda is much higher than with vinegar.
Step 1: Start with an empty tub.
The tub can be plastic or glass.You will be running an electrical current through the water if you use a metal tub.The size of the tub doesn't matter, but a good starting point would be to use a 2 gallon container.
Step 2: There are alligator clips at the bottom of the tub.
You will need a pair of alligator clips.One of the two will connect to your positive and negative electrodes.The inside of the tub should be taped.If you leave enough space, you can still open and close the clip.
Step 3: The wires need to be connected.
There is a non-reactive material that conducts electricity.Platinum is the best choice, but if you don't have the electrodes lying around, you can use graphite.Cut the wood off of pencils to make rods.There are alligator clips inside the tub.They will conduct electricity since they won't be dissolved in water.
Step 4: You can mix a solution.
Add 5 liters of water to the 2 liter of vinegar.The solution will be able to conduct a small amount of electricity.The solution should be poured into the tub.You can use all of the solution.The tub should be filled most of the way.
Step 5: Invert the test tube.
The test tubes should be filled with water.The water in your tub can be used to fill them.Take each test tube out of the water.Don't get air bubbles in the test tubes.Any hydrogen or oxygen that is formed is collected by these tubes.The test tubes need to be placed over the rods.
Step 6: The alligator clips need to be connected to a power supply.
The alligator clips must be connected to either terminal of a 9V battery.This will allow electricity to flow.The current will be limited by the inability of the solution to conduct well.This will show that acetic acid does not promote water electrolysis.The water can't be split into hydrogen and oxygen because of this limitation.There are fewer ion to conduct electricity when there is a weak acid in the water.
Step 7: The tub should be filled with a sodium bicarbonate solution.
Baking soda should be added to 2 gallon of water.The solution will have baking soda in it.The amount of current that the water can conduct will be increased by these electrolytes.Baking soda forms cations.
Step 8: The electrodes should be covered.
The test tubes should be filled with water from the tap or tub.Each test tube should be flipped upside down.Don't allow air into the test tubes.The gases that you produce will be collected by the tubes.The test tubes need to be placed over the electrodes.
Step 9: The power source should be connected.
Attach the alligator clip to the positive terminal of the battery.The other should be connected to the negative terminal.This will allow current to flow through the solution.
Step 10: There are bubbles at the anode and cathode.
Some of the water will be split by the current.H2 and O2 will be produced.Oxygen gas with a charge of -2 will be attracted to a positive charge and will collect on the anode.An electron acceptor that attracts positive charges, called cations, will attract a negative charge from the hydrogen gas.As the gases collect, they will bubble out of the water and be captured in the test tubes.The water at the top of the test tube is being replaced by gases.The tube covering the anode displaces more water than the tube that covers the cathode.There are more hydrogen molecule being formed than oxygen molecule.