Hydrogen: A Fuel that Can Turn the Industry Upside Down.
The hydrogen atom is the simplest of all atoms. It consists of a single proton, made up of three quarks, and an electron (for a viual representation, see the diagram [1] to the left). This section will dicuss hydrogen fuel cells and give a brief overview of the way they work.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is new and one of the most promising ways to diminish the dependence on fossil fuels. Although it is still in the process of development, this technology deserves our full attention because of its great potential. One might assume that fuel cells are complicated, however their workings are relatively easy to understand when taking a closer look. The chemical process is quite simple, and involves only hydrogen, oxygen, and water to give enough electrical energy to power a car. The most important chemical in this process is hydrogen, H2, which should not be confused with elemental hydrogen, H -the most abundant element on earth. Elemental hydrogen is found in the molecular structure of compounds such as water and hydrocarbons. The extraction of H2 from these compounds, mainly hydrocarbons such as natural gas and other fossil fuels, is a controversial topic because of its environmental impact. The following information is basis for forming an educated opinion about hydrogen fuel cell cars in comparison to the other alternative fuel technologies.
Now, to find out about the workings of a fuel cell in more detail click here