Products from Oil

Fuels - Hydrogen.

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Hydrogen can be used directly as a fuel for cars
or used in a fuel cell to produce electricity.

Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water plus energy.

hydrogen + oxygen  arrow  water + energy
2H2(g)   +    O2(g)  arrow          2H2O(l)

The energy released by the reaction can be used to run a car engine
which is similar to (but not the same as) car engines which burn petrol.


Advantages of hydrogen as a fuel.

1.  It can be made from the electrolysis of water.
If the electricity used during electrolysis comes from a renewable source
(solar for example) then the hydrogen fuel produced is also renewable.

2.  It does not produce pollution or contribute to global warming
because the only product of combustion is water.


Disadvantages.

1. Hydrogen does not contain a lot of energy compared to petrol.
A larger amount of hydrogen is needed to run a similar car.

2.  Hydrogen is explosive and difficult to store.

3.  If the hydrogen does not come from a renewable source
but is made from methane
then the hydrogen fuel produced is also not renewable.

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