Hydrogen makes up seventy-five percent of the earth's mass.Hydrogen is usually found on earth in combination with oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. To be used it must be separated from these.Hydrogen is a very safe element when used as an energy source, it emits nothing into the air but water. It also has more uses then electricity. Hydrogen is primarily used in manufacturing ammonia, petroleum refining, hydrogen peroxide, and in the synthesis of methanol. It is also used to retrieve metals from their compounds because it is a good reducing agent. It can also be used in space shuttles for fuel, to provide heat, electricity, and drinking water.In the near future hydrogen may be used as a f ...view middle of the document...
It can be used in missiles, artillery shells, bombs, mines, and torpedoes. When a plutonium or uranium atom is split energy is released and some of the electrons will pair up with hydrogen to create an explosion.In thermonuclear weapons the same thing occurs except that the electrons pair up with hydrogen isotopes. Hydrogen can be separated from it's usual combinations with different methods.Photoconversion production uses bacteria or algae to take in sunlight, these bacteria then split water and produce hydrogen.These bacteria have natural metabolic functions that produce hydrogen.Thermochemical production uses heat to make hydrogen out of biomass or solid waste. The heat is used to make the mass a liquid. The steam from this mass is used to make hydrogen.Electrolysis is used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. It is done by using electrical currents that breaks down water into it's two elements. The only problem with these methods of separation is that they are very expensive. More expensive then traditional means of energy which is why it will be hard to get a hydrogen based economy. The production of hydrogen would also have to go up.At this point there would not be enough hydrogen, in it's element form, to provide enough energy for everyone. The use of hydrogen as a main supply of energy will probably happen in the near future but it won't happen until people are ready for change. The time will come when everyone will be ready to put up the money for the expenses for research and development of hydrogen products. It will be more efficient and overall will be better for the environment then today's methods.
