How is hydrogen gas made?

Answer 1

Industrially, hydrogen gas is made using two methods, usually one after the other. In the first reaction, called steam reforming, methane is reacted with water to form hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide.

CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2 Then the carbon monoxide is separated from the hydrogen, and in a second reaction, called the water gas shift reaction, carbon monoxide gas is reacted with water to form more hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide:

CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 There are other ways to make hydrogen gas in the laboratory, for instance adding a reactive metal, such as zinc, to an acid, or adding an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal to water (although that is explosive!), or through the electrolysis of water.
See the Web Links to the left of this answer for more information.

Answer 2

Hydrogen gas can be produced through various methods, including steam reforming of natural gas, electrolysis of water, biomass gasification, and some industrial processes like coal gasification. Each method involves different reactions and processes to generate hydrogen gas as a final product.