Put a flame near it. If it explodes, it's probably hydrogen.
The 'pop' test. To test for hydrogen , have a sample in an upturned boiling/test tube, hydrogen is lighter that air, put a lighted splint/taper to the mouth and it will 'pop' This is the classic hydrogen test.
- palladium sensor - chemochromic sensor - gas chromatography
The burning splint test is used to test for the presence of hydrogen. The symbol for hydrogen is H.
The test for hydrogen gas is called the "squeaky pop" test. This test involves igniting a sample of hydrogen gas, which produces a distinctive "squeaky pop" sound.
1) Put a burning splint near the mouth of a test tube which you think contains hydrogen. If you hear a pop when you touch it with the splint then there is hydrogen.
One can test for hydrogen in a given sample by using a hydrogen gas sensor or by conducting a flame test, where hydrogen gas is ignited to produce a characteristic pop sound.
Hydrogen
The pop test
Hydrogen gas makes the 'pop test' when it is ignited, producing a distinctive popping sound. This test is commonly used to detect the presence of hydrogen gas.
To confirm the presence of hydrogen gas, you take a lit splint and insert it into the test tube or the container with the gas, and there should be a loud 'pop' as the hydrogen gas ignites. This is the easiest and most effective test. http://www.gcsescience.com/itesthydrogen.htm
hydrogen burns in air with a pop sound
You can test for the presence of hydrogen gas using a lit splint test. When a lit splint is exposed to hydrogen gas, it will produce a squeaky pop sound, indicating the presence of the gas. This test is based on the highly flammable nature of hydrogen gas.