Hello,
Since Tonight is halloween, I want to make some hydrogen, to scare people. But right now, the only way I can make it is with a 9volt battery, and it isn't working right now. I don't have any larger batteries.
So, how can I make hydrogen fast? I can not, and don't want to buy hydrogen peroxide. If possible, I want to use just plain water, but if there is another way, without water, I can do that.
Please help fast, seeing as the kids will come shortly.
Thanks.

 

Hydrochloric acid + tin foil...

 

Stupid idea! - don't even consider it!.

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Here's an experiment you can try:
You'll need:

1. A thick plastic bag.
2. A roll of duck tape.

Medthod.

1. Put a thick plastic bag over your head.
2. Seal it round your neck with the duck tape.

Enjoy.

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Ok, you guys are saying its a bad idea. but I don't want large quanities.
I was able to fill about 200ml with hydrogen and oxygen. Thats all. I set it off with a torch, and barely heard a thing. so it is safe. I've done it before. I just wanted a fast way to make it.

Is there a fast way? can I hook the electroysis to an 120 volt outlet?

 

120 volts will spark, and the hydrogen will ignite frequently.

The fastest way is to plan ahead.

 

ok, thanks.

 

Little late here (so that is good), but if you set it off from a "torch", sounds like you have some gas there already made you can use for a bigger bang. Not hydrogen though.

Anyway, bad idea to me as well.

 

200 ml of detonating gas can rupture an eardrum. You were lucky to get some air mixed with it. I feel it unsafe to tell tou how to make large quantities of hydrogen.

 

Its very late for halloween, so maybe no one is looking, but anyway...

My little brother and I started splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen when I was about 10. It was fun, used the d.c. output from the model train transformer with the wires attached to carbon electrodes obtained by driving the cores out of D cell batteries. We ussualy made about 50ml at a time , mainly due to impatience, with our power source that 50 ml took about 24 hours, at times we made as much as 200ml ( I think that was the biggest beaker we had.

We always popped the hydrogen , sometimes immediately upon removal of the beaker from the water, sometimes we would rig a ignitor on the train set and place the beaker on it then set one of the model buildings over that. If you worked quickly there was enough force to pop the building apart ( we assembled them without glue), if you didn't work quickly the hydrogen dissipated and you got nothing. Anyway, we did this hundreds of times with no ill effects, but in the end firecrackers were far more rewarding for the same result . ( grew up watching the Adams family, what do you expect).

You'r right in thinking more power will make the hydrogen faster ( when we were in a hurry we would "borrow" the car battery from my dads antique car as a power source. ) We actually had more fun with the oxygen, especially betting the other kids that we could light strips of metal ( magnesium was impressive, and a bottle of small strips could be had from the hobby shop for around a buck) or pads of tin foil on fire. I won many a candy bar betting I could light metal on fire.

However, if you were actually asking if you could split water into hydrogen and oxygen by placing a 120 volt A.C. line into water you don't have any idea what you are doing, will be lucky not to electrocute yourself, and obviously do not understand the reaction involved or the chemistry. STOP!!! Until you understand the reaction , don't play with it. Spend some time at the library (where I learned) or in school ( the easy way) first, then when you understand the reactions involved both in the evolution of the gas and the cumbustion, you can play safely. If you play before understanding someone is likely to get hurt.

Just in case HarveyH42 is wondering, as a boy I was afraid of acid, but didn't mind mixing water and electricity, go figure.