Really a chem question. What is cheap that my son can use as a catalyst for water electrolysis using a Hoffman apparatus? Something I can get at the grocery store?let's see just how smart you guys are anyway.
Really a chem question. What is cheap that my son can use as a catalyst for water electrolysis using a Hoffman apparatus? Something I can get at the grocery store?let's see just how smart you guys are anyway.
It’s all a lye.
(don’t know for sure – quick guess)
Salt at the grocery store… but sulfuric acid works much better…
And it’s Chemistry. 
D - smarta$$ 
PS Buncha guys around here “cracking” water to inject hydrogen into their car engines in some wacky attempt to save the planet. Nobody of course understands they are actually making MORE pollution and burning more gasoline… They won’t listen to reason though… IT’S MAGIC!!
Eyup!
I used to love chemistry at school but unfortunately I was crap at it.
I seem to remember though that the Hoffman apparatus we had was a bit of a lash up.
I think the electrodes were just 316 stainless steel, and the electrolyte was Potassium Hydroxide, made from filtered wood ash.
We were poor, but we did science.
P.S. we tried graphite (old pencils) for the electrodes but the water ended up black.
Steve
Epsom salt. Lye (oven cleaner) too… but I hate that stuff. Dangerous.
Salt.
PACO
I used to like making hydrogen balloons, then blow then up. Not the safest thing for a 12 year old to be doing.
Obviously, chemistry class had a longer lasting impact on most of you than it did on me. The thing I remember best are the daily polak jokes of a classmate.
Trust me…you’d remember if you had made a little Hindenburg in your back yard…and survived.
Quote: (phoo @ Jan. 23 2009, 6:38 PM)
Trust me....you'd remember if you had made a little Hindenburg in your back yard...and survived.
HA-HA!
We used those big "Bopper Ball" things. The big, thick skinned balloon deals with the heavy duty rubber band for a wrist strap to do the "bopping"... Fill one of them suckers up with hydrogen or oxy-acetylene... KA-BLOOEY! Whoops! Here come the cops! HIDE!
D
Maybe blowing up the neighborhood is a Southern thing.
Quote: (phoo @ Jan. 23 2009, 11:27 PM)
Maybe blowing up the neighborhood is a Southern thing.
Quote: (phoo @ Jan. 23 2009, 11:27 PM)
Maybe blowing up the neighborhood is a Southern thing.
Oh, I wouldn't say exclusively a southern thing...
Anyway, thanks for the chamostri help.
Quote:
Anyway, thanks for the chamostri help.
LOL... u nut...
D
Wow - the Epson salts did the trick - watch the pretty bubbles!
Oh Brother.
platinum is the catalyst in a catalytic converter. do they sell that at the market?
Quote: (TomS @ Jan. 24 2009, 11:47 AM)
Wow - the Epson salts did the trick - watch the pretty bubbles!
I can blow up the backyard too...
As this thread is nearly dead anyway... I'll tell the story of a boy named Bubba. Christmas 2007 his father bought him some out of state fireworks for Christmas. This past summer after coming home from a band practice maybe a week after July 4, the little brother in law and the girlfriend had found my stash of fireworks and was playing with sparklers in the backyard. In my infinite wisdom I said, why not break out the rest of the stuff my pappy had gotten? Let me preface this with there was no alcohol or otherwise intoxicating substances involved in any way in these proceedings. (Don't believe in them in general.) We started harmlessly enough with M80s popping dents in the tree line and blowing out some small stumps. Finally I decided to try out the 2'x2' (yes, 2 foot square) roman candle looking thing my dad got. I figure it would shoot some sparks and that was about it... no sir... fireballs 30 feet in the air for 3 minutes. The thing tipped over, shot at the house, shot at the neighbors' houses, shot into the trees... I mean it was like a scene out of Platoon back there. Of course, we did the only thing we could do... run like hell, close all the doors and curtains, turn off the lights, and hide from
the police we were certain would be on their way. The worst thing is I had just spoken to the couple next door who were telling me about how their grandson was in town for some day camp and was in bed. He just gets so excited and likes to get to sleep early. Also, I had literally just hung up the phone with the neighborhood watch lady from across the street before setting off my Apocalypse Now fountain. So all that to say, the south does not have any sort of monopoly on burning down the back yard... or neighborhood for that matter.