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It is used in lighter than air ships, fuel cells, fuel when used with an oxidizer, and as an ingredient of fertilizer.

Hydrogen gas was used as a gas that is lighter than air. The famous Hindenburg zeppelin was filled with hydrogen gas to keep it aloft, and met with disastrous consequences when the gas exploded. See the link listed to the left of this answer for more about the Hindenburg. Now most blimps are filled with helium instead, which is also lighter than air, but is not flammable.

When hydrogen gas is burned, it forms pure water: 2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O It could have also been burned as a source of heat, but this did not happen on a large scale as coal, wood, oil, natural gas, and other materials also burn well and are much more readily obtainable.

Hydrogen gas is not found naturally on Earth in any significant quantity. Water has 2 atoms of Hydrogen in every molecule so there is a huge amount available. Unfortunately, right now, it is not economical to retrieve it from water.

More recently, we have discovered how to use hydrogen gas in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Here, H2 is combined with oxygen to produce electricity and water.

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14y ago

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