PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF

HYDROGEN
Colourless and odourless gas
It is the lightest element and
the lightest gas known
It is almost insoluble in water
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Reaction with oxygen

When kindled, hydrogen burns in oxygen to form water

and a large amount of heat is released. So a mixture of
hydrogen and oxygen may explode.

2H2 + O2 → 2H2O
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Reaction with chlorine

Hydrogen burns in chlorine to form hydrogen chloride

gas which dissolves in water to form hydrochloric acid.

A mixture of hydrogen and chlorine, when placed in

sunlight, explodes to form the same product.
H2 + Cl2 → 2HCl
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Reaction with sulphur

Hydrogen reacts with sulphur to give

hydrogen sulphide gas, which smells like
rotten eggs.

H2 + S → H 2 S
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Reaction with Nitrogen

Hydrogen reacts with nitrogen only under special

conditions, to form an appreciable amount of
ammonia. [ Conditions temperature 5000C, pressure
200 atmosphere and Fe catalyst]

N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Reaction with some metal
oxides [on heating]

CuO + H2 → Cu + H2O

The oxides of very active metals are not converted into

metals.
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Hydrogen as reducing agent
The addition of hydrogen to or removal of oxygen from a
substance is called reduction.
The addition of oxygen to or the removal of hydrogen
from a substance is called oxidation.
A substance causing reduction is known as a reducing
agent.
A substance causing oxidation is called an oxidising
agent.
Hence hydrogen is a reducing agent.
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Hydrogen as a reducing agent.

By adding hydrogen
Cl is converted to HCl
S to H2S
N to NH3
By removing oxygen CuO is converted to Cu
 TEST FOR HYDROGEN
Hydrogen burns with a
characteristic pop
sound.