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by m tarde on December 6th, 2003

m tarde

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What happens when electricity comes in contact with water?

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  • by lunatik on December 7th, 2003

    lunatik

    Let us take the assumption that you are planning to stick one wire in a tub/pool of water at one end and another wire in the other end.

    H2O has 2 Hydrogens and 1 Oxygen. Oxygen has a -2 valence while Hydrogen has either + or -1. The atomic bond for water is very strong.

    When you introduce a current into water, the most basic think that will happen is that the H2 will separate from the O. The O will join with another O and become O2 (what we normally call Oxygen.

    H2O + Electricity (current) ---> H2 + O
    or more correctly

    2(H2O) + currrent ----> 2(H2) + O2

    Don't try this at home in the bathtub because one of the following WILL happen.

    The ground fault will trip.
    you might get electrocuted.
    Your mother may ground you for life.(if you survived the electrocution)

    If you have access to a variable low voltage supply and a glass apparatus for separating the gases, you might try this in a lab environment.

    *** However be aware: Hydrogen is very flamable (re: hindenberg) and oxygen is fuel for fire.

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