Fuel Cells

Question 1

What is the test for oxygen?

Answer 1

Relights a glowing splint

Question 2

What do hydrogen and oxygen react to produce?

Answer 2

Water - which isn’t a pollutant

Question 3

What does the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen release?

Answer 3

Energy

Question 4

Define FUEL CELL:

Answer 4

A fuel cell is an electrical cell that’s supplied with a fuel and oxygen and uses energy from the reaction between them to generate electricity.

Question 5

When and why were fuel cells developed?

Answer 5

Developed in the 1960’s as part of the space programme, to provide electrical power on spacecraft - they were more practical that solar cells and safer than nuclear power.

Question 6

How is a fuel cell unlike a battery?

Answer 6

It doesn’t run down or need recharging from the mains

Question 7

How will a fuel cell produce energy in the form of electricity and heat?

Answer 7

As long as fuel is supplied

Question 8

ADVANTAGES:

Answer 8

+hydrogen cells - efficiency greater than 80%
+electricity is generated directly
+aren’t a lot of stages to the process of generating electricity, so less energy is lost as heat.
+no moving part, energy not lost through friction
+don’t produce any conventional pollutants, only water and heat

Question 9

How could fuel cells be used?

Answer 9

To replace batteries (which are incredibly polluting to dispose of - made of highly toxic metal compounds)
No more petrol and diesel cars, lorries or buses

Question 10

DISADVANTAGES OF FUEL CELLS

Answer 10

• hydrogen gas takes up loads more space to store than liquid fuels like petrol
• hydrogen is explosive so difficult to store safely
• hydrogen fuel is often made either from hydrocarbons (from fossil fuels) or by electrolysis of water, which uses electricity (electricity generated using fossil fuels)

Question 11

What is the test for hydrogen?

Answer 11

Hydrogen + a lighted splint = a squeaky pop